semiautomatic

adjective

semi·​au·​to·​mat·​ic ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik 

ˌse-ˌmī-, 

-mi-

: not fully automatic: such as

a

: operated partly automatically and partly by hand

b

of a firearm : able to fire repeatedly through an automatic reloading process but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot

a semiautomatic rifle

semiautomatic noun

semiautomatically

ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌse-ˌmī-, 

-mi-

adverb

Examples of semiautomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

She had previously been charged in those counts with assault using a semiautomatic firearm. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026

One deputy saw Mendiola sitting on a bench holding a semiautomatic handgun in his right hand and loading a magazine into the firearm before firing a shot, the report states. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026

Lopez had been sentenced in Los Angeles County to 29 years in prison for assault with a semiautomatic firearm with enhancements for street gang activity, inflicting great bodily injury and use of a firearm, officials said. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026

Chicago police recovered a black 9 mm semiautomatic handgun at the apartment in a pile of Plummer’s clothes. — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for semiautomatic

• antidemocratic
• bacteriostatic
• heterochromatic
• idiosyncratic
• paleoclimatic
• achromatic
• acrobatic
• adriatic
• aliphatic
• antistatic
• aromatic
• astigmatic