firearm
n.a weapon that uses gunpowder to shoot bullets or shells, like a gun or a rifle. You usually see this word in news reports or legal documents.
n.a portable weapon that discharges projectiles by the action of an explosive force. Often used as a formal or legal collective term for guns, rifles, and pistols.
“The police officer checked the suspect for a concealed firearm.”
“The new law requires all owners to store every firearm in a locked safe to prevent accidents.”
“Strict regulations govern the transport of any firearm across international borders, requiring extensive documentation and proof of legitimate sporting or security purposes.”
Often used in the plural to refer to weapons in a general or legal sense.
“A federal judge threw out two other charges in January, including that of murder through use of a firearm, which had carried the possibility of the death penalty.”
“Thailand has suspended firearms licences after the deadly Nonthaburi school shooting , as the bodies of the teenage attacker and the grandparents he killed were cremated.”
From fire (“projectile discharge”) + arm (“weapon”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.