revolver
n. countablen. a type of handgun that holds its bullets in a part that turns around. Each time you pull the trigger, the part rotates to bring a new bullet into place.
n. a handgun with a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers, each of which holds a single cartridge. The mechanism rotates the cylinder to align the next chamber with the barrel before each shot.
The detective kept a small revolver in his desk drawer.
Historical western films often feature characters who carry a revolver in a leather holster on their hip.
Unlike modern semi-automatic pistols that use a detachable magazine, a revolver relies on a rotating cylinder, which generally limits its capacity to five or six rounds.
From revolve + er, coined by American inventor Samuel Colt in 1835.
Commonly used in historical or crime fiction contexts; in modern law enforcement, it has largely been replaced by the semi-automatic pistol.