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

In 2019, lawmakers passed an amendment that also imposed the 30-day limit on semiautomatic rifle purchases. —Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025

The agents seized 147 small pieces of plastic or metal that transform a semiautomatic handgun into an automatic machine gun. —Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2025

For weapons such as repeating shotguns or semiautomatic firearms, buyers need a gun ownership card and a firearms pass. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025

No one was injured in the incident, but officials said a semiautomatic Glock 19 was found in Franco’s vehicle. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for semiautomatic

• antidemocratic
• bacteriostatic
• heterochromatic
• idiosyncratic
• nonadiabatic
• paleoclimatic
• achromatic
• acrobatic
• adriatic
• aliphatic
• antistatic
• aromatic