What does "matchlock" mean?

Early type of firearm, using a smoldering piece of cord to fire the powder in the firing pan.

What is a synonym for "matchlock"?

Common synonyms include: gun, six shooter.

//ˈmæt͡ʃlɑk// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
Early type of firearm, using a smoldering piece of cord to fire the powder in the firing pan. historical
"I crept silently up the hill-road, but the fuse of my matchlock was wetted with the rain, and I could not slay Daoud Shah from afar."
2
an early style of musket; a slow-burning wick would be lowered into a hole in the breech to ignite the charge wordnet
3
The gunlock used in such a weapon, having a slow smouldering match.

"I crept silently up the hill-road, but the fuse of my matchlock was wetted with the rain, and I could not slay Daoud Shah from afar."

From match + lock.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.