beretta
beretta Lexical Profile
beretta Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A firearm, especially a semi-automatic pistol or sporting shotgun, manufactured by the historic Italian company Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta.
"The museum exhibition featured a collection of vintage Beretta sporting shotguns alongside 16th-century archival ledger records."
An alternative spelling of biretta, a square cap with three or four ridges on the top, worn by Roman Catholic and some Anglican clergy.
"The cardinal removed his scarlet beretta before approaching the altar."
Word Nuance & Usage
Usually capitalized as a trademarked proper noun ('Beretta'). Not to be confused with the near-homophone 'biretta', which refers to a square-peaked cap worn by Roman Catholic clergy.
• Rhymes for beretta
Word Origin & Etymology
Named after Bartolomeo Beretta, an Italian master gunbarrel maker who founded Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, in 1526, making it the oldest active firearms manufacturer in the world.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.