pistol

thumb|A government-issued M1911 pistol manufactured in 1911 used by [[Squeaky Fromme in her assassination attempt of President Gerald Ford|alt=Blued steel Colt Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol shown in left profile, with dark wooden grip panels, exposed hammer, and engraved slide markings; serial number visible on the frame, against a light background.]]

A pistol is a type of handgun, characterized by a barrel with an integral chamber. The word "pistol" derives from the Middle French pistolet (), meaning a small gun or knife, and first appeared in the English language when early handguns were produced in Europe. In colloquial usage, the word "pistol" is often used as a generic term to describe any type of handgun, inclusive of revolvers (which have a single barrel and a separate cylinder housing multiple chambers) and the pocket-sized derringers (which are often multi-barrelled).