ammunition

[am-yuh-nish-uhn]

noun

1. the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon, as bombs or rockets, and especially shot, shrapnel, bullets, or shells fired by guns.

2. the means of igniting or exploding such material, as primers, fuzes, and gunpowder.

3. any material, means, weapons, etc., used in any conflict.

   a crude ammunition of stones.

4. information, advice, or supplies to help defend or attack a viewpoint, argument, or claim.

   Give me some ammunition for the debate.

5. Obsolete.,  any military supplies.

ammunition

/ ˌæmjʊˈnɪʃən /

noun

1. any projectiles, such as bullets, rockets, etc, that can be discharged from a weapon

2. bombs, missiles, chemicals, biological agents, nuclear materials, etc, capable of use as weapons

3. any means of defence or attack, as in an argument

Word History and Origins

Origin of ammunition¹

1620–30; < Middle French amonitions, amunitions (plural) military supplies ( a- a- ⁵ + munition < Latin; munition ), or < French la munition, wrongly analyzed as l'amunition

Word History and Origins

Origin of ammunition¹

C17: from obsolete French amunition, by mistaken division from earlier la munition; see _munition

Example Sentences

"They will ask ANO to stop supporting Ukraine, to end the Czech ammunition initiative, to oppose sanctions against Russia."

From BBC

Malema was convicted of five offences, including the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging it in a public space and reckless endangerment.

From BBC

The loans will be able to fund the purchase of kit including ammunition, artillery, missile defence systems and military drones.

From BBC

That provides a lot of “ammunition,” he says, for the story.

From Los Angeles Times

A handgun, live ammunition, knife and mobile phone were found in the vehicle.

From BBC

Related Words

• ammo 
• armament 
• bomb 
• bullet 
• cartridge 
• chemical 
• explosive 
• gunpowder 
• materiel 
• missile 
• munition 
• napalm 
• rocket 
• shrapnel 
• torpedo