ghost gun

[ gohst guhn ]

noun

1. a gun that does not have a serial number and cannot be easily traced, especially one assembled at home from parts purchased without a background check.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ghost gun¹

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert has proposed an ordinance that would ban the sale or possession in San Diego of so-called ghost guns, Fox 5 covered Wednesday.

From Voice of San Diego

Most recently, the ATF has issued a proposed rule to stop the proliferation of “ghost guns,” and in his budget request for next year, he has included a $232 million dollar increase in funding for the DOJ and HHS to tackle gun violence.

From Washington Blade

In 2019, the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms told The Trace that 30 percent of all guns recovered by the agency were ghost guns.

From Voice of San Diego

Ward’s bill, AB 311, would ban the sale of the component parts used to assemble ghost guns at gun shows.

From Voice of San Diego

The man who allegedly opened fire on five random bystanders in the Gaslamp Quarter this month used an untraceable ghost gun, a made-at-home firearm the usage of which SDPD Chief David Nisleit said is up 169 percent in the last year.

From Voice of San Diego

Now they will think it is his skin-bonneted Meermut that stalks to and fro with the ghost-gun of a ghost.

From Project Gutenberg