warhead

American  

[wawr-hed] / ˈwɔrˌhɛd /

noun

1. the forward section of a self-propelled missile, bomb, torpedo, or the like, containing the explosive, chemical, or atomic charge.

---

warhead British  

/ ˈwɔːˌhɛd /

noun

1. the part of the fore end of a missile or projectile that contains explosives

---

Etymology

Origin of warhead

First recorded in 1895–1900; war ¹ + head

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

warhead

A Chinese submarine fired the ballistic missile fitted with a dummy warhead earlier this month, reaching far into the Pacific Ocean.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

The nuclear-capable missile fitted with a dummy warhead landed somewhere between Nauru, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands, according to monitors and Pacific officials.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

A Chinese submarine test-fired a "strategic" missile carrying a dummy warhead on Monday, with monitors saying the rocket appeared to land in a patch of ocean somewhere between Solomon Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

Monday, carrying a simulated warhead to a designated area in the Pacific Ocean, said Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng, a spokesman for China’s navy, according to state media.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

In World War II, Germany built on Oberth’s ideas and developed the V-2, a rocket powerful enough to carry an explosive warhead all the way from northern Germany to London.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins