mustard gas

noun

1. an oily liquid, C 4 H 8 Cl 2 S, used as a chemical-warfare gas, blistering the skin and damaging the lungs, often causing blindness and death: introduced by the Germans in World War I.

mustard gas

noun

1. an oily liquid vesicant compound used in chemical warfare. Its vapour causes blindness and burns. Formula: (ClCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 S

mustard gas

/ mŭs′tərd /

1. An oily, volatile liquid that is corrosive to the skin and mucous membranes and causes severe, sometimes fatal respiratory damage. It was introduced in World War I as a chemical warfare agent. Chemical formula: C 4 H 8 Cl 2 S.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mustard gas¹

First recorded in 1915–20; so called from its mustard-like odor

Related Words

• poison gas
• tear gas