weapon

American  

[wep-uhn] / ˈwɛp ən /

noun

• weapons
  plural

1. any instrument or device for use in attack or defense in combat, fighting, or war, as a sword, rifle, or cannon.

2. anything used against an opponent, adversary, or victim.

   the deadly weapon of satire.

3. Zoology. any part or organ serving for attack or defense, as claws, horns, teeth, or stings.

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verb (used with object)

1. to supply or equip with a weapon or weapons.

   to weapon aircraft with heat-seeking missiles.

weapon British  

/ ˈwɛpən /

noun

1. an object or instrument used in fighting

2. anything that serves to outwit or get the better of an opponent

   his power of speech was his best weapon

3. any part of an animal that is used to defend itself, to attack prey, etc, such as claws, teeth, horns, or a sting

4. a slang word for penis

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superweapon
  noun
• outweaponed
  adjective
• unweaponed
  adjective
• weaponed
  adjective
• weaponless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• weapons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of weapon

First recorded before 900; Middle English wepen, Old English wǣpen; cognate with German Waffe, Old Norse vāpn, Gothic wēpna (plural)

Explanation

A weapon is something used to hurt someone. Soldiers use weapons like guns and even sometimes use "weapons of mass destruction" — like bombs. In school, the only weapon you should use is a spitball. A solider engaging in battle needs a weapon, as does a police officer defending herself against a violent attacker. Some weapons are specially designed for killing or injuring, such as guns and crossbows, while in other cases an ordinary object, like a stick, can be used as a weapon. The Old English root is wæpen, "instrument of fighting or defense." The spelling is tricky, and most people just have to memorize the ea in weapon.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

weapon weapons

The French call the weapon Scalp, while in the U.K. it is known as the Storm Shadow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

The government has agreed to hand over blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French version of the UK's Storm Shadow cruise missile - allowing Ukraine to produce the weapon domestically.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

It was at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona when the mutterings about a new "secret weapon" started.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Hanging from the rafters, the tip of its blade points down ominously over viewers’ heads, emphasizing both the danger of the weapon and its fragility.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Captain Savitsky’s torpedo crew loaded their purple-tipped weapon into B-59’s firing tube number two.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

It also issued new sanctions against 60 individuals, companies and vessels that allegedly aid Iran in oil revenue generation, weapons procurement and cyber operations.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

Developing sophisticated weapons is expensive and can't be done quickly.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Western defense companies have discussed manufacturing weapons in Ukraine before, but so far only a handful of smaller foreign drone makers have started production.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

There was also a weapons wall, “Game of Thrones”-style wood accents and a prominently placed map of Middle-earth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

The weapons packs they carried out of the fortress were not, in fact, weapons packs.

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

Related Words

• ammunition
• bomb
• cannon
• firearm
• gun
• knife
• machete
• machine gun
• missile
• nerve gas
• pistol
• revolver
• rifle
• shotgun
• sword
• tear gas