Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various automatic or semiautomatic rifles designed for individual use in combat.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A military style automatic rifle or carbine that fires a shortened rifle caliber round or lower power smaller calibre round larger than pistol ammunition from a high capacity magazine.
  • noun colloquial Any assault weapon.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any of the automatic rifles or semiautomatic rifles with large magazines designed for military use

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Calqued from German Sturmgewehr ("assault rifle", (literally) "storm rifle"). The Maschinenpistole 44 was called the Sturmgewehr by Adolf Hitler, whence it was renamed to represent the separate class of firearm it represented. From assault + rifle.

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Examples

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Comments

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  • I made an account just to tell people how horrible this definition is.

    1. Automatic or semi automatic

    Assault rifles require select fire capability

    2. Fires shortened rifle calibers makes no sense

    Assault rifles fire intermediate cartridges, small

    fast moving projectiles, a larger caliber would

    classify it as a battle rifle. "Lower power" makes no

    sense it is a small projectile moving very fast. And

    shortened is possibly the dumbest thing I've reac in

    this context.

    3. Larger than a pistol.

    Like stated above rifle rounds are generally much

    smaller in diameter than pistol rounds so just another

    case of complete ignorance. Oh and 30 rounds is

    standard capacity.

    To sum up this definition is written by someone who has exactly zero knowledge on the subject however this doesn't stop them from pushing their political agenda.

    June 4, 2021

  • You'd be hard pressed to convict a dictionary compiler from any major publication of 'pushing a political agenda' but I'm sure you feel better for having had a rant.

    Perhaps also consider a Bex and a good lie-down.

    June 4, 2021