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Definition of blunderbuss

blunderbuss

/ˈblʌn.dɚ.bʌs/
blun · der · buss
Plural:blunderbusses
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blunderbuss Lexical Profile

blunderbuss Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A historical short-barreled firearm with a flared muzzle, designed to scatter shot at close range.

Example

"The maritime museum's seventeenth-century exhibit featured a brass-barreled blunderbuss alongside navigational instruments."

2

An awkward, clumsy, or tactless person, or an indiscriminate, unsubtle action or approach.

Example

"Critics argued that the broad regulatory ban was a legislative blunderbuss where a more targeted policy was needed."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for blunderbuss

• Nearby Words

bluing
bluish
blunder
blunderbuss
blunderer
blundering
blunt

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-17th century from Dutch 'donderbus', literally meaning 'thunder gun' (from 'donder' meaning thunder and 'bus' meaning gun or box), altered in English by folk etymology association with the word 'blunder'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Blunderbuss. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/blunderbuss
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