chemical weapon

American  

[kem-i-kuhl wep-uhn] / ˈkɛm ɪ kəl ˈwɛp ən /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of chemical weapon

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

To make its powerful chemical weapon, the organism had to solve a problem.

From Science Daily • Nov. 13, 2023

Because it has legal uses, white phosphorus is not banned as a chemical weapon under international conventions, but it can cause serious burns and start fires.

From Reuters • Oct. 12, 2023

Last Friday, the US destroyed its last chemical weapon at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky.

From NewsForKids.net • Jul. 11, 2023

While controversial, it is not considered a chemical weapon, because it causes harm by burning at a high temperature rather than through toxic properties.

From New York Times • Jul. 2, 2022

But, under conditions where the latter are seriously limited, the chemical weapon becomes, relatively, of much greater importance.

From The Riddle of the Rhine; chemical strategy in peace and war by Lefebure, Victor