hand·gun

[hand-guhn]
noun
any firearm that can be held and fired with one hand; a revolver or a pistol.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English handgone. See hand, gun1

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
handgun (ˈhændˌɡʌn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
a firearm that can be held, carried, and fired with one hand, such as a pistol

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Handgun is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

handgun

any firearm small enough to be held in one hand when fired. It usually fires a single projectile or bullet, and additional ammunition may be available in a revolving mechanism or magazine. Handguns may be used for target shooting, hunting small game, or personal self-defense. Automatic handguns are illegal in many countries, and private ownership of any handgun is restricted in most of the world. See also automatic pistol; pistol; revolver.

Learn more about handgun with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences
These firms cannot obtain a handgun license or renewal for you if you do not
  qualify, nor can they expedite your application.
There is no reason that any private citizen in a democracy should own a handgun.
Previous to this change, handgun carry permits were issued by local sheriff's
  offices.
Apply for or renew a permit to own a handgun, rifle, or shotgun.
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