ordnance

American  

[awrd-nuhns] / ˈɔrd nəns /

noun

1. cannon or artillery.

2. military weapons with their equipment, ammunition, etc.

3. the branch of an army that procures, stores, and issues, weapons, munitions, and combat vehicles and maintains arsenals for their development and testing.

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ordnance British  

/ ˈɔːdnəns /

noun

1. cannon or artillery

2. military supplies; munitions

3. a department of an army or government dealing with military supplies

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Etymology

Origin of ordnance

First recorded in 1620–30; syncopated variant of ordinance

Explanation

Ordnance is another word for military supplies, like guns, rockets, or armor. When a country is at war, it needs a lot of ordnance. The average person has probably never heard of ordnance. In fact, an ordinary person would have some explaining to do if they had ordnance, because it refers to military supplies. The word ordinance for “command” lost an i in the 1500’s and became ordnance, meaning “military materials.” Both words go with war — a command to shoot requires ordnance, or something to shoot with. Ordnance helps soldiers fight and protect them. You can’t go to war without ordnance.

Related Words

• munitions