1
: a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel
broadly
: handgun
2
: a notably sharp, spirited, or energetic person
pistol
transitive verb
Examples of pistol in a Sentence
a real pistol, she dances rings around the other performers
Recent Examples on the Web
Though his tail was wagging, the dog immediately bounded down the hallway toward an officer, who fired his service pistol four times, killing the dog.
—
Paige St. John,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2026
Sampson successfully hid her identity as a woman for a while, allegedly removing a pistol ball herself when she was shot in the leg.
—
Catherine Messier,
The Providence Journal,
4 July 2026
The man initially refused but signed after Pooh Shiesty allegedly pointed an AK-style pistol his head.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Prosecutors allege the pistol was used in a 2021 Chicago murder and later in the shooting of a rival gang member.
—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for pistol
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Paige St. John,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2026
Sampson successfully hid her identity as a woman for a while, allegedly removing a pistol ball herself when she was shot in the leg.
—
Catherine Messier,
The Providence Journal,
4 July 2026
The man initially refused but signed after Pooh Shiesty allegedly pointed an AK-style pistol his head.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Prosecutors allege the pistol was used in a 2021 Chicago murder and later in the shooting of a rival gang member.
—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for pistol
Cite this Entry
“Pistol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pistol. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pistol
noun
pis·tol
ˈpis-tᵊl 
: a short firearm made to be aimed and fired with one hand
Etymology
from early French pistole "pistol," from German pistole (same meaning), derived from Czech píšt'ala, literally, "pipe, fife"
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