derringer

or der·in·ger

[ der-in-jer ]

noun

1. an early short-barreled pocket pistol.

derringer

/ ˈdɛrɪndʒə /

noun

1. a short-barrelled pocket pistol of large calibre

Word History and Origins

Origin of derringer¹

1850–55, Americanism; named after Henry Deringer, mid-19th-century American gunsmith who invented it

Word History and Origins

Origin of derringer¹

C19: named after Henry Deringer, American gunsmith who invented it

Example Sentences

During a second search of the hotel room, officers located a .22-caliber derringer under a couch cushion, the charges said.

From Seattle Times

The assailant’s two flintlock derringers both misfired, and an enraged Jackson clubbed the would-be assassin with his walking stick before the man was subdued.

From Reuters

Brigid also learns how to swoon on cue and aim a derringer in this vibrant new series.

From Washington Post

Like a smart dame — a derringer in her sequined clutch — outwitting a patsy, the story of the city is a protagonist’s search for answers no matter how unseemly.

From Los Angeles Times

I’d walk downtown to Ford’s Theatre and go to the basement museum and see the derringer that John Wilkes Booth used.

From Washington Post