keyholing

K5E1Y4H4O1L1I1N1G2

noun

The tendency of a bullet fired down an excessively large barrel to wobble in flight and leave a keyhole-shaped puncture in the target.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of keyhole
nounkeyholing (uncountable)
  1. uncountableengineeringThe tendency of a bullet fired down an excessively large barrel to wobble in flight and leave a keyhole-shaped puncture in the target.
  2. uncountableThe formation of a transient column of vapor or plasma when using high energy beams, such as lasers, for welding or cutting.

Origin

From keyhole + -ing.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

keyholing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keyholing

MLA

“keyholing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keyholing. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keyholing,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keyholing.

Source: keyholing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.