1. a short rifle with a barrel shorter than a standard rifle, historically used by cavalry soldiers
Usage: also spelled carbine; historical/military context

Examples

• The cavalry soldier carried a carabine instead of a full-length musket.
• Carabines were favored by mounted troops for their lighter weight and ease of handling.
• The museum displayed a 19th-century carabine used in the American Civil War.
• Soldiers equipped with carabines could reload more quickly while on horseback.