pistole

pistole (old coin); small pistol

noun pees-TOL Rare

Origin: Spanish pistola, 16th-century gold coin or short firearm.

Usage Note

Pistole referred historically to a gold coin used in France and Spain before modern currency; today it survives mainly in literary or historical contexts. The related word pistolet is the modern term for a handgun. In Belgian French, pistolet also means a small bread roll — a quirk learners often find surprising.

Examples

"Il a payé avec une ancienne pistole."

Natural Translation

He paid with an old pistole.

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