semiautomatic

adjective

semi·​au·​to·​mat·​ic ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik 

ˌse-ˌmī-,

-mi-

: not fully automatic: such as

a

: operated partly automatically and partly by hand

b

of a firearm : able to fire repeatedly through an automatic reloading process but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot

a semiautomatic rifle

semiautomatic noun

semiautomatically

ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌse-ˌmī-

-mi-

adverb

Examples of semiautomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

King changed his long-standing opposition to gun restrictions after the mass shooting and filed a bill that would have raised the age to purchase AR-15 style semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 years of age. —Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 6 Dec. 2024

After putting his 7-year-old niece in an upstairs bedroom, Corcoran loaded his semiautomatic rifle and shot the victims. —Kristine Phillips, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024

Investigators have said Colt Gray carried a semiautomatic assault-style rifle onto a school bus, with the barrel sticking out of his book bag, wrapped up in a poster board. —CBS News, 21 Nov. 2024

He is accused of using a semiautomatic AR-style rifle to carry out the shooting. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 8 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above