semiautomatic

[ sem-ee-aw-tuh-mat-ik, sem-ahy- ]
/ ˌsɛm iˌɔ təˈmæt ɪk, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

partly automatic.
(of a firearm) automatically ejecting the cartridge case of a fired shot and loading the next cartridge from the magazine but requiring a squeeze of the trigger to fire each individual shot.

noun

a self-loading rifle or other firearm.

Origin of semiautomatic

First recorded in 1890–95; semi- + automatic

OTHER WORDS FROM semiautomatic

sem·i·au·to·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby semiautomatic

semiarch, semiarid, semiattached, semiautobiographical, semiautomated, semiautomatic, semiautonomous, semiautonomy, semibasement, semibituminous coal, semibold

Example sentences from the Web for semi-automatic

British Dictionary definitions for semi-automatic

semiautomatic
/ (ˌsɛmɪˌɔːtəˈmætɪk) /

adjective

partly automatic
(of a firearm) self-loading but firing only one shot at each pull of the trigger Compare automatic (def. 5)

noun

a semiautomatic firearm

Derived forms of semiautomatic

semiautomatically, adverb