chemical warfare

American  

[kem-i-kuhl wawr-fair] / ˈkɛm ɪ kəl ˈwɔrˌfɛər /

noun

1. warfare with poisonous, asphyxiating, or corrosive gases, oil flames, etc. CW

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chemical warfare British  

noun

1. warfare in which chemicals other than explosives are used as weapons, esp warfare using asphyxiating or nerve gases, poisons, defoliants, etc

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chemical warfare Cultural  

1. The use of chemical agents as a weapon of war or terror. From the mustard gas used in World War I to the highly lethal neurotoxin Sarin that is potentially available for use today, chemicals are considered a weapon of mass destruction, and their use is condemned by most civilized nations.

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Etymology

Origin of chemical warfare

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

And the federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response keeps a national stockpile of supplies necessary for public health emergencies, including vaccines, medical supplies and antidotes needed in case of a chemical warfare attack.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2024

This acts as a kind of chemical warfare to protect themselves.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2023

The U.S.' stockpile of chemical warfare agents reached nearly 40,000 tons by 1968, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From Reuters • Jul. 7, 2023

“It goes back to the very origin of chemical warfare and its consequences.”

From New York Times • Jan. 21, 2021

We couldn’t think of any animal that liked to eat roaches, so I suggested we buy roach spray, like all our neighbors did, but Mom was opposed to chemical warfare.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls