A shotgun is a type of firearm designed to shoot many small pellets at once, spreading them in a wide pattern. Unlike a rifle, which fires a single bullet in a precise line, a shotgun sprays dozens or even hundreds of tiny metal balls called shot across a broader area. This makes shotguns useful for hunting birds in flight, since hitting a fast-moving target becomes easier when you don't need pinpoint accuracy.

The spreading pattern also made shotguns popular for hunting and for protection. In the Old West, stagecoach guards often carried shotguns, sitting in the seat next to the driver to protect valuable cargo from bandits. This is why we call the front passenger seat in a car the shotgun seat. When friends pile into a car, someone might yell “Shotgun!” to claim that prized front seat, a tradition that comes from those old stagecoach days.

The word can also describe a strategy of doing many things at once hoping one will work, like taking a shotgun approach to studying by reviewing everything instead of focusing on specific topics. This mirrors how a shotgun spreads its shot widely rather than aiming at a single point.