chemical weapon

[kem-i-kuhl wep-uhn]

noun

1. any poisonous, asphyxiating, or corrosive chemical agent designed or intended to incapacitate, harm, or kill a targeted military or civilian group. CW

Word History and Origins

Origin of chemical weapon¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

The BBC World Service has spoken to chemical weapons experts, whistleblowers from Georgia's riot police, and doctors, and found the evidence points to the use of an agent that the French military named "camite".

Read more on BBC

WASHINGTON—A classified Justice Department brief authorizing strikes on drug-smuggling boats describes fentanyl as a potential chemical weapons threat, according to a House member and another person familiar with the memo.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Outside of Umatilla, local officials are working to ready parts of the old chemical weapons depot for development, potentially opening more land for data centers to come.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The United States remains fully committed to hold to account those responsible for contributing to chemical weapons proliferation," Bruce added.

Read more on BBC

American military leaders’ position was that herbicides did not constitute chemical weapons under the Geneva Protocol, which the U.S. had yet to ratify.

Read more on Salon