dirty bomb

American  

noun

1. a nuclear warhead designed to produce a great amount of radioactive debris by use of a fusion core, fission trigger, and casing of uranium-238.

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dirty bomb British  

noun

1. informal  a bomb made from nuclear waste combined with conventional explosives that is capable of spreading radioactive material over a very wide area

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Example Sentences

One of Kirillov's repeated themes was that Ukraine was seeking to develop a "dirty bomb".

From BBC

“The uranium is not a problem actually in a dirty bomb. The initial homemade device that you built is the more dangerous thing,” Walker added.

From Salon

Russian propaganda often claimed that Ukraine plans to fashion a dirty bomb from such materials.

From Science Magazine

This message was accompanied by a follow-up email containing an image of a Google search for “how to make a dirty bomb.”

From Los Angeles Times

Cesium-137 is often mentioned as of potential use in making a ”dirty bomb” that could contaminate a wide area.

From Seattle Times