ordnance

American  

[awrd-nuhns] / ˈɔrd nəns /

noun

1. cannon or artillery.

2. military weapons with their equipment, ammunition, etc.

3. the branch of an army that procures, stores, and issues, weapons, munitions, and combat vehicles and maintains arsenals for their development and testing.

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ordnance British  

/ ˈɔːdnəns /

noun

1. cannon or artillery

2. military supplies; munitions

3. a department of an army or government dealing with military supplies

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Etymology

Origin of ordnance

First recorded in 1620–30; syncopated variant of ordinance

Example Sentences

The work to remove the rubble can only begin in earnest if Israeli authorities allow into Gaza heavy machinery and equipment needed to move debris and destroy unexploded ordnance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Teams are also working on clearing out debris and unexploded ordnance, the officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal

It faces challenges including unexploded Israeli ordnance and a lack of equipment such as excavators, bulldozers and heavy trucks, according to the Arab mediators.

From The Wall Street Journal

Complicating the clean-up efforts are the vast quantities of unexploded ordnance littering the entire country, including within mountains of rubble that need to be cleared, he said.

From Barron's

The Marine Corps said no ordnance would be fired from a Navy ship to the shore.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• munitions