Standard Lemma guide

gunslinger

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: G AH1 N S L IH2 NG ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person in the Old West who carried a gun and was an expert at quickly drawing it and firing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person who behaves with the reckless bravado expected of someone who would duel with guns.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a professional killer who uses a gun

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gunman, hired gun, gun, gun for hire, triggerman, hit man, hitman, torpedo, shooter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: murderer, liquidator, manslayer

History

Etymology

From gun + slinger.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: pistoler — person expert at the quick draw
  • Czech: pistolník — person expert at the quick draw
  • Danish: revolvermand — person expert at the quick draw
  • Finnish: pyssymies — person expert at the quick draw
  • French: as de la gâchette — person expert at the quick draw
  • German: Revolverheld — person expert at the quick draw
  • Hungarian: fegyverforgató — person expert at the quick draw
  • Italian: pistolero — person expert at the quick draw
  • Macedonian: пиштолџија (pištoldžija) — person expert at the quick draw
  • Polish: rewolwerowiec — person expert at the quick draw
  • Romanian: pistolar — person expert at the quick draw
  • Russian: гансли́нгер (ganslínger) — person expert at the quick draw
  • Russian: стрело́к (strelók) — person expert at the quick draw
  • Spanish: pistolero — person expert at the quick draw
  • Swedish: revolverman — person expert at the quick draw
  • Yiddish: שיסער — person expert at the quick draw
  • Polish: rewolwerowiec — person behaves with the bravado of a gunslinger
Real reading context

gunslinger in complete knowledge articles