noun

Gatling

Gatling (noun) means a rapid-fire gun with several rotating barrels, an early forerunner of the modern machine gun. Example: “The museum display included a Civil War-era gatling mounted on a wagon carriage.”

noun

A rapid-fire gun with several rotating barrels, an early forerunner of the modern machine gun.

"The museum display included a Civil War-era gatling mounted on a wagon carriage."

How to use Gatling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA hand-cranked, multi-barrel rapid-fire gun from the 1800s.

Common pairings

gatling gun

Word forms

Gatlings plural

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The museum display included a Civil War-era _____ mounted on a wagon carriage.

Etymology

Named after Richard Gatling, the American inventor who patented the gun in 1862.

· First attested 1862

Class of 1862 Gatling joined the language around 1862.

Javert

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Gatling” mean?

The word “Gatling” means a rapid-fire gun with several rotating barrels, an early forerunner of the modern machine gun. In plain terms, a hand-cranked, multi-barrel rapid-fire gun from the 1800s.

How do you use “Gatling” in a sentence?

Here is “Gatling” used in a sentence: “The museum display included a Civil War-era gatling mounted on a wagon carriage.”

What part of speech is “Gatling”?

“Gatling” is a noun.

Where does the word “Gatling” come from?

The word “Gatling” dates back to around 1862. Named after Richard Gatling, the American inventor who patented the gun in 1862.