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View synonyms for gunpowder

gunpowder

[ guhn-pou-der ]

noun

  1. an explosive mixture, as of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal, used in shells and cartridges, in fireworks, for blasting, etc.
  2. Also called gunpowder tea. a fine variety of green China tea, each leaf of which is rolled into a little ball.


gunpowder

/ ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə /

noun

  1. an explosive mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulphur (typical proportions are 75:15:10): used in time fuses, blasting, and fireworks Also calledblack powder
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • ˈgunˌpowdery, adjective
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Other Words From

  • gun·pow·der·y adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of gunpowder1

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; gun 1, powder 1
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Example Sentences

If you smell a gunpowder odor, it could be from a fried circuit board or fan motor in your furnace.

Jacqueline Falcone One morning I was up early, and Ricky asked me if I wanted to go into town with him and get gunpowder.

Some events even featured fireworks, which involved filling trees with gunpowder and setting them on fire.

From Vox

Hooray Agency’s Seghers advises to “keep your gunpowder dry” in times of crisis and lean into brand values with authentic messaging.

From Digiday

You just stacked the furniture, sprinkled it with gunpowder and put a torch to it.

The exploding bombs and gunpowder leveled every structure for hundreds of yards in all directions.

Ships carried weapons and gunpowder to Africa, then loaded on human beings.

There was no gunpowder found on her skin, supporting the notion of a shot not fired at extreme close range.

Williams agreed to submit to a gunpowder residue test, which reportedly was negative.

He was filmed leaving the apartment with a heavy bag, which later showed traces of gunpowder.

The badness of the gunpowder used by the Mexicans, was again of great service to us.

Little did Tressan dream to what a cask of gunpowder he was applying the match of his smug pertness.

Mac took that pretty hard, and came mighty near making the major eat his words with gunpowder sauce on the side.

Gunpowder explosion at Vera Cruz, by which several buildings were injured and 20 persons killed, mostly women.

It is even more comparable to the sound produced by exploding gunpowder.

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gunportGunpowder Plot