germ warfare

noun

1. biological warfare.

germ warfare

noun

1. Also called: bacteriological warfare. the military use of disease-spreading bacteria against an enemy

germ warfare

1. The use of microorganisms in war to injure or destroy humans, animals, or crops. This type of warfare is outlawed by international treaty, but facilities for developing biological weapons exist in some countries. (See bioterrorism (see also bioterrorism) and biological warfare.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of germ warfare¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The latest and most dramatic example is “Evil Unbound,” a big-budget film about an infamous unit of the Japanese Imperial Army that conducted germ warfare and chemical experiments on live humans.

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Nicknamed Anthrax Island, it was closed to the public due to contamination caused by germ warfare tests in World War Two.

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Claims included wild stories about secret U.S. germ warfare labs or Nazi conspiracies or that Ukrainian refugees were committing crimes and taking jobs from people who had welcomed them.

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Russia has amplified numerous anti-U.S. conspiracy theories, including ones claiming the U.S. runs secret germ warfare labs and created HIV as a bioweapon, as well as conspiracy theories accusing Ukraine of being a Nazi state.

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The Pentagon needs to improve defenses and readiness against biological weapons attacks and is ill-prepared for potential germ warfare attacks from China or other adversaries, according to a new biodefense posture report.

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