Sten gun

noun

1. a British light submachine gun.

Sten gun

/ stɛn /

noun

1. a light 9 mm sub-machine-gun formerly used in the British Army and Commonwealth forces, developed during World War II

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sten gun¹

1940–45; R.V. S(hepherd) + H.J. T(urpin) , the designers + En(field) , England

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sten gun¹

C20: from s and t (initials of Shepherd and Turpin, the inventors) + -en, as in Bren gun

Example Sentences

“Paris is the Mona Lisa in a jeep and François Villon behind a Sten gun.… Paris today was partly itself at its best, partly Deadwood Gulch at its worst and partly Strauss’ Vienna at its most improbable.”

From Washington Post

A photo of a Sten gun and a shattered Mercedes-Benz lend a documentary quality to the story of the assassination of loathsome Nazi Reinhard Heydrich by Czech patriots, as well as the grim aftermath — bodies of 200 murdered male villagers of the Czech village of Lidice, shot in retaliation, a fraction of the Czechs who would eventually be vengefully killed.

From Seattle Times

So far the retrieval has yielded several Kalashnikov assault rifles, a Carl Gustav submachine gun and an old Sten gun, Colonel Ilu said.

From New York Times

Later that night, William approaches the Thomases' bungalow with his Sten gun and a grenade.

From The Guardian

A Sten gun flashed from beneath Hassan's robe.

From Time