derringer
noun /ˈderɪndʒə(r)/
/ˈderɪndʒər/
- a small hand gun. It was invented in the US in 1825 by Henry Deringer (1786-1868) and was popular in the Wild West because a person could hide it easily, even in the hand. Derringers are still popular today and often kept by Americans in their homes for protection.