biological warfare

American  

noun

1. warfare that makes use of bacteria, viruses, toxins, etc., to disable or destroy people, domestic animals, and food crops. B.W.

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biological warfare British  

noun

1.  BW.  the use of living organisms or their toxic products to induce death or incapacity in humans and animals and damage to plant crops, etc

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biological warfare Cultural  

1. The use of biological agents as weapons in warfare. Also called germ warfare.

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Etymology

Origin of biological warfare

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

America’s biotech industry supports more than 10 million jobs, $3 trillion in economic output and gives America the capability to beat back pandemics and defeat biological warfare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

The substance was sent to the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down to be examined by an expert in chemical and biological warfare agents.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2025

Pyongyang also clings to a claim Beijing and Moscow quietly dropped — that Washington waged biological warfare during the three-year war.

From Washington Times • Jul. 26, 2023

Alcohol is actually the result of this biological warfare between yeast and bacteria, who are both trying to get these nutrients.

From Salon • Jan. 17, 2023

“Don’t be so delicate! Flush it and clean it,” Amá says, rolling her eyes, as if she sees this kind of biological warfare on a daily basis.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez