ordnance

[awrd-nuhns]

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.

ordnance

/ ˈɔːdnəns /

noun

1. cannon or artillery

2. military supplies; munitions

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ordnance¹

First recorded in 1620–30; syncopated variant of ordinance

Word History and Origins

Origin of ordnance¹

C14: variant of _ordinance

Example Sentences

Marine Corps ordnance disposal team then determined that the device was safe to transport and moved it off site, where it was deactivated.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

During the American Secret War, there was an indiscriminate bombing on civilians of Laos — at least one ton of ordnance dropped for every child, woman and man living in Laos during the 1960-70s.

Read more on Salon

Police drafted in experts, including an explosive ordnance disposal team, but had warned the public against speculating online about the bag's contents.

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It is true there is still unexploded ordnance left by the five days of shelling.

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Aside from the problem of live military training sparking fires, old unexploded ordnance left behind from previous manoeuvres make wildfires harder to fight,

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Related Words

• munitions