Etymology

machine pistol

Today it means: A lightweight submachine gun, usually capable of being fired with one hand (but sometimes with a second grip at the front of the barrel and then fired like a rifle). Full definition →

German Maschinenpistole
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The story

  1. German · calque ofMaschinenpistole
  2. English todaymachine pistol

Calque of German Maschinenpistole.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.