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

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

“So I think it was in part due to the chemical warfare, if you will,” Dr. Froines said.

From Washington Post • Jul. 15, 2022

Biological and chemical warfare are banned by international treaties.

From Salon • Aug. 17, 2021

Today we often think of biological and chemical warfare as modern inventions.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz