bullpup
bullpup · bullpups
A bullpuppy, a bulldog puppyA bullpuppy, a bulldog puppy (of either sex).
/ˈbʊlpʌp/
Meaning
3 senses(dated)A bullpuppy, a bulldog puppy (of either sex).
A firearm configuration in which the trigger is located forward of the magazine and breech, as opposed to a conventional configuration in which the trigger is located rear of the magazine and breech.
(US, obsolete)A handgun smaller than a bulldog.
Origin
From bull + pup. The firearms sense originated from firearm designers in the United StatesFrom bull + pup. The firearms sense originated from firearm designers in the United States during the 1930s. The unconventional configuration of bullpup rifles was compared by analogy to bulldog puppies, which were considered "squat, ugly, but still aggressive and powerful".
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source