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

This would be similar to the detonation of a "dirty bomb," which, depending on wind direction and dispersion radius, could result in radioactive contamination.

From Salon

A dirty bomb is not a nuclear bomb - it is "weapon of mass disruption" rather than "mass destruction", says the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

From BBC

Getting International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors into Ukraine — and, in early November, when the agency found no evidence of a dirty bomb — helped ease tensions.

From New York Times

Fears of dirty bombs have emerged from time to time in the nuclear age, stirring public fears.

From New York Times

“Since the dirty bomb narrative, we have detected a significant increase in support for using nuclear weapons if necessary,” Mr. Teubner said.

From New York Times