conventional weapon

American  

noun

1. a nonnuclear weapon.

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Etymology

Origin of conventional weapon

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

The report suggested that the dominant theme in discussion on U.S. defense priorities has shifted in recent years from counterterrorist operations to such issues as “maintaining U.S. superiority in conventional weapon technologies” over Moscow and Beijing.

From Washington Times

Today, those weapons — drones that can deliver a small conventional weapon with deadly accuracy against American troops, missiles that can target all of the Middle East and the edges of Europe, and cyberweapons turned against American financial institutions — are used regularly by Iranian forces.

From New York Times

"It was about 10 times bigger than the biggest conventional weapon, and 10 to 20 times smaller than the early nuclear weapons," he told BBC News.

From BBC

Part of the program’s ups and downs over the years relate to some stated concerns that, if a conventional weapon travels with the speed, range and trajectory of a nuclear-armed missile, adversaries might be confused as to the precise nature of an attack -- and mistake it for a nuclear attack.

From Fox News

The weapon has virtually unprecedented range for a conventional weapon and has the ability to hit anywhere in the world in a matter of minutes in some instances.

From Fox News