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soman

British  
/ ˈsəʊmən /

noun

  1. an organophosphorus compound developed as a nerve gas in Germany during World War II

"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

Etymology

Origin of soman

C20: from German, of uncertain origin

Explanation

Soman is a deadly substance that was created for chemical warfare. Because it's toxic when people inhale it, soman is considered to be a weapon of mass destruction. Like mustard gas or sarin, soman is a nerve agent that was developed for use in wars to kill many people all at once. It's a chemical that harms and begins to break down the nervous system when it's breathed in. Soman was invented by German biochemists during World War II, but it was never used in that conflict, and in 1993 it became illegal to produce or keep it.

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Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

The main five nerve agents are tabun, which is the easiest to make, sarin, soman, GF and VX.

From The Guardian Mar. 8, 2018

Sarin is one of several substances called nerve agents, with others including VX, tabun and soman.

From BBC Sep. 2, 2013

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