AR-15

American  

[ey-ahr-fif-teen] / ˈeɪˈɑrˈfɪfˈtin /

Trademark.

1. a lightweight, gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle with a caliber of .223 inches, used for semiautomatic fire.

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Etymology

Origin of AR-15

First recorded in 1960–65; shortening of ArmaLite Rifle, not of assault rifle ( def. ), as commonly thought

Example Sentences

He is co-author of the book "American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15."

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The Georgia jury was not so forgiving of a parent who gave an AR-15 to a 14-year-old child.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

With armed guards with AR-15 rifles and pistols standing nearby, Mr Bloom introduced Ms Ferguson at a press conference as a "personal friend".

From BBC • Nov. 2, 2025

An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a 40-caliber handgun and ammunition were found at the scene.

From Seattle Times • May 2, 2024

The Department authorized use of the AR-15 rifle only up to a distance of about a hundred yards, be-cause accuracy deteriorated so much with the additional distance.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover