M16

noun

ˌem-(ˌ)sik-ˈstēn How to pronounce M16 (audio)
: a .223 caliber (5.56 millimeter) gas-operated magazine-fed rifle for semiautomatic or automatic operation used by U.S. troops since the mid 1960s

Examples of M16 in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tallest of them had an M16 concealed under a long fake-sheepskin coat. — Ben Ehrenreich, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025 Don Dodds, Founder at M16 Marketing & PIEARM.AI, is a leading marketing technologist on a mission to help marketers and businesses grow. — Don Dodds, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

model 16

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of M16 was in 1968

Browse Nearby Words

M-1
M16
M1 rifle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“M16.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/M16. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

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