What is the difference between a revolver and a pistol?

A revolver is a multishot firearm, usually a handgun, in which the rounds are held in a revolving cylinder that rotates to fire them through a single barrel.

Pistols are smaller, lighter, easier to conceal, faster to bring to bear, and sometimes may have more safety features than other firearms. Generally being an emergency self-defense weapon for use under 25 meters, a handgun bullet neither has the energy of, nor the accuracy of, a bullet shot from a rifle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolver

A revolver is a sub-type of pistol. Semi-automatic cartridge, revolver and single shot are the three types in this category. There also exists multi-shot pistols such as the double barrel, double trigger Derringer.


pis·tol
n.

A firearm designed to be held and fired with one hand.


re·volv·er
n.

1. A pistol having a revolving cylinder with several cartridge chambers that may be fired in succession.

There does exist rifles with revolving cartridge magazines such as the #FD1188 Colt M1855 Revolving Cylinder Rifle but these firearms are not typicaly called revolvers.

Its very possible to have a water pistol, but never a water revolver.

Difference is as others have stated but I'm including a link you might find helpful.

Scroll down to TYPES OF WEAPONS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns#Types_of_weapons