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

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Etymology

Origin of weapon

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

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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

But Vlasenko still had his most important weapon: his Motorola radio.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Over the past nine days, the King visited the Bahamas, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda and has been used as "a great secret weapon", the aide said.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

The oldest weapon in the drawer — the one that raised me, the one that could empty a lunch table in the 1990s — is losing its edge at the ballot box.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

“On Saturday, at a gun range, a weapon accidentally discharged while holstered, resulting in a superficial injury to film director Michael Mann,” his representative said in a statement Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

After he had finished instructing me on how to shoot the weapon, I took it from him.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Soaked and freezing, with only their weapons, helmets and the radio, they struck out in search of a new shelter, barely able to stand after months spent almost entirely lying down.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

They have too many weapons for 1-6 Miami, which had a 13-3 halftime lead against New England before being outscored, 21-6.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Tiwari's version returns to the familiar story of love, duty, exile and war, set in a world of gods and demons, celestial weapons and mighty kingdoms.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

His administration has since delayed for months a $14-billion batch of weapons.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

“How big is your planet? How do cats fight there? With weapons? Do they fight in space?!”

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

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Related Words

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• missile
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• pistol
• revolver
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• tear gas

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