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shotshell

shotshell

1 5.9
A small cartridge for a shotgun that holds many small pellets or one slug
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɑtʃɛl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cartucho de escopeta
  • After choosing the right type of shotshell, the hunter felt ready for the competition.
  • shotshell wad
  • gauge shotshell
  • shotshell load

Examples

  • (According to Chuck Hawks, there are only 262 pellets in Remington's 28 ga 7/8 oz shotshell, but let's not quibble over the small change.)

    Blog text (25)
  • He loaded his shotgun with a shotshell before heading out to the hunting grounds.

  • The box contained a dozen shotshells designed for waterfowl hunting.

Synonyms

round
vsshotshell
387 7.2

A single bullet or shell used in a gun

is specific to cartridges designed to fire pellets or a single large slug
one shot
vsshotshell
  • Specialized
66 4.1

A single bullet and its case ready to be fired from a gun

includes both multi-pellet loads and single-projectile cartridges
shotgun shell
vsshotshell
  • Specialized
7 3.8

A small case filled with many small metal balls that is fired from a shotgun

is identical in meaning but uses an alternative standard name

How Powerful

slug
45 7.2
shotshell
  • Specialized
1 5.9
buckshot
  • Specialized
18 7.0
birdshot
  • Specialized
4 5.7

Surface Forms

shotshell singular
shotshells plural

Morphology

shotshell = shot + shell (transparent) = shot + shell

Meaning is directly the compound 'shot' + 'shell' — a shell containing shot — which is straightforward for learners who know both components.

Etymology

Shotshell is made of two simple words: shot ('small pellets') and shell ('case'). So a shotshell is the 'case' that holds the 'shot' — the thing you load into a shotgun, with many small pellets or one large 'slug'.