Definition of the word machine gun

The term "machine gun" originated in the late 19th century to describe a type of rapidly firing artillery piece. At that time, the Maxim gun, a heavy-duty machine gun invented by British engineer Sir Hiram Maxim, revolutionized modern warfare. Its automatic firepower could rapidly shoot dozens of rounds in a matter of minutes, making it a powerful and devastating weapon in the hands of soldiers. The term "machine gun" was coined to describe this new type of artillery, distinguishing it from the traditional handheld firearms that required each shot to be manually loaded and fired. The Maxim gun, as well as other similar weapons that followed, quickly became a crucial part of military arsenals and led to the widespread adoption of the term "machine gun" to refer to these deadly and efficient killing machines.