Definition

Noun: A small-arm is a portable, handheld firearm designed to be carried and operated by a single individual. This category typically includes weapons like pistols, revolvers, rifles, and submachine guns, but excludes larger crew-served weapons like artillery or mounted machine guns.

Usage

The term "small-arm" is a formal and technical classification, most commonly used in military, law enforcement, historical, and legal contexts to categorize personal firearms.

Examples

• The museum's collection featured small-arms from the 19th century, including muskets and early revolvers.
• Infantry soldiers are primarily trained in the use of small-arms.
• The treaty regulated the international trade of certain small-arms and light weapons.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in its plural form, "small-arms", to refer to this class of weapons collectively (e.g., "small-arms fire").
• In technical specifications, a weapon's classification as a small-arm is often based on its caliber (usually below 20mm).

Variants and Related Words

• Firearm: A very close synonym, though "firearm" can sometimes have a broader legal definition.
• Sidearm: Specifically refers to a small-arm worn on the body, like a pistol or revolver.
• Light weapon: A related category that may include portable anti-tank or anti-aircraft systems, which are generally heavier than typical small-arms.

Synonyms

• Firearm
• Gun
• Handgun (for pistols/revolvers specifically)
• Rifle (for long-barreled small-arms specifically)

Related Phrases

• Small-arms fire: Gunfire from personal weapons like rifles and pistols.
  • The patrol came under heavy small-arms fire from the treeline.

Noun

1. a portable gun
   • he wore his firearm in a shoulder holster