pistol
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a short-barrelled handgun
-
to threaten a person in order to force him to do what one wants
verb
Other Word Forms
- pistollike adjective
Etymology
Origin of pistol
1560–70; < Middle French pistole < German, earlier pitschal, pitschole, petsole < Czech píšt’ala literally, pipe, fife, whistle (presumably a slang term for a type of light harquebus employed during the Hussite wars), akin to pištět to squeak, peep
Compare meaning
How does pistol compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A pistol is a small handgun. Unlike a shotgun or a rifle, you can hold and fire a pistol with one hand. Sometimes the word pistol is used for any handgun, but many people distinguish between the pistol, with its single chamber, and the revolver, which has a cylinder that rotates and holds many bullets. The earliest pistols were used in sixteenth century Europe, and the English word comes from the Middle French pistolet, meaning both "small firearm" and "small dagger." You can also call someone who's full of energy a pistol.
Vocabulary lists containing pistol
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was already well trained to fire a pistol.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
They wear a combat vest which contains a radio/GPS-coded beacon to transmit their position, while they also carry water, food, first-aid material and a pistol in order to survive.
From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026
She said two guns recovered from the scene - a Glock 10mm pistol and a SIG Sauer P226 - were legally owned.
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026
The images also showed that the person was carrying a holstered pistol.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026
A witch, you must understand, does not knock children on the head or stick knives into them or shoot at them with a pistol.
From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
