gat C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction US /ɡæt/ UK /ɡæt/ See IPA manual Minimal pairs Sounds like got /æ/ vs /ɑ/ Meanings 1 noun a pistol or handgun (slang); also a channel between sandbanks The gangster slipped a gat into his coat pocket before leaving. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a pistol or handgun... pistolgunhandgunrevolverfirearm Word family Related forms gatling Etymology AI details The 'pistol' sense is early-20th-century American slang, shortened from 'Gatling gun' (named after inventor R. J. Gatling); the 'channel' sense is from Dutch 'gat' ('hole, gap'). Topics Space, Position & Direction Register & Style External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # gat **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ɡæt/ **IPA (UK):** /ɡæt/ ## Meanings 1. a pistol or handgun (slang); also a channel between sandbanks ## Examples - The gangster slipped a gat into his coat pocket before leaving. ## Synonyms - pistol - gun - handgun - revolver - firearm ## Related Forms - gatling ## Etymology The 'pistol' sense is early-20th-century American slang, shortened from 'Gatling gun' (named after inventor R. J. Gatling); the 'channel' sense is from Dutch 'gat' ('hole, gap'). ## AI Etymology Gat has this etymological history: The 'pistol' sense is early-20th-century American slang, shortened from 'Gatling gun' (named after inventor R. J. Gatling); the 'channel' sense is from Dutch 'gat' ('hole, gap'). As a noun, gat names a pistol or handgun (slang); also a channel between sandbanks. The same family is visible in related forms such as gatling. ## Topics - Space, Position & Direction - Register & Style markdown