napalm

[ ney-pahm ]
See synonyms for napalm on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a highly incendiary jellylike substance used in fire bombs, flamethrowers, etc.

verb (used with object)
  1. to drop bombs containing napalm on (troops, a city, or the like).

Origin of napalm

1
An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; na(phthene) + palm(itate)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for napalm

napalm

/ (ˈneɪpɑːm, ˈnæ-) /


noun
  1. a thick and highly incendiary liquid, usually consisting of petrol gelled with aluminium soaps, used in firebombs, flame-throwers, etc

verb
  1. (tr) to attack with napalm

Origin of napalm

1
C20: from na (phthene) + palm (itate)

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

Scientific definitions for napalm

napalm

[ päm′ ]


  1. A firm jelly made by mixing gasoline with aluminum salts (made of fatty acids). It is used in some bombs and in flamethrowers. Napalm was developed during World War II.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.