mitraillette

submachine gun, machine pistol

noun mee-tra-YET Rare

Origin: Diminutive of mitraille (grapeshot, scrap metal), from Old French mitaille, from mite (small coin)

Usage Note

Mitraillette is the diminutive of mitrailleuse (machine gun) and refers to a compact automatic firearm. The verb mitrailler means to machine-gun or, figuratively, to bombard with questions or photos (les photographes l'ont mitraillé). In Belgian French, mitraillette also colloquially names a filled baguette sandwich.

Examples

"Le soldat tenait une mitraillette à la main."

Natural Translation

The soldier was holding a submachine gun.

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