Pulemyot

Pulemyot is the transliteration of the Russian word пулемёт, which translates to machine gun. In Russian usage, the term denotes a crew-served firearm designed for sustained automatic fire, typically feeding from belts or magazines and capable of providing suppressive fire on the battlefield. The word is widely used in both historical and contemporary contexts to describe automatic firearms of various sizes.

Etymology and usage of the term reflect its descriptive origin. The word combines пуля (bullet) with the suffix -мёт, from метать meaning to throw, yielding roughly “bullet-thrower.” The term has been in Russian military and civilian discourse since the late 19th and early 20th centuries and came to describe a broad range of automatic weapons rather than a single model.

In practice, pulemyot covers both light and heavy machine guns. Russian terminology typically distinguishes легкий пулемёт (light machine gun) and тяжёлый пулемёт (heavy machine gun). Notable examples associated with the name include the Degtyaryov DP-27 and Kalashnikov-designs such as the PKM and PKP, which are commonly referred to as pulemyots in modern and historical writings.

Today the term remains standard in Russian and in translations of Russian military literature. It is used to refer to a wide category of automatic firearms, from early belt-fed designs to contemporary precision and crew-served weapons, reflecting both historical development and ongoing military terminology. See also lists of machine guns for related models and classifications.