German

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Etymology

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From Faust (fist) +‎ Feuerwaffe (firearm).

Pronunciation

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  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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Faustfeuerwaffe f (genitive Faustfeuerwaffe, plural Faustfeuerwaffen)

  1. A handgun; a gun that is fit to be wielded in a single hand.
    Synonym: Pistole

Usage notes

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  • English handgun is a false friend of German Handfeuerwaffe, which refers to any firearm that can be carried and operated using just the hands, thus including rifles.

Declension

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Hypernyms

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Hyponyms

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See also

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Further reading

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