Warhead
noun, slang ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 The part of a missile, projectile, torpedo, rocket, or other munition which contains either the nuclear or thermonuclear system, high explosive system, chemical or biological agents, or inert materials intended to inflict damage.
""To their anchorage off Kodiak," Chuck says. "The Orthos were all ready. They had put together a crew of ex-Navy men, guys who had worked on nuke subs in the past—X-rays, they call them—and they came and took the sub over. As for us, we had no idea that any of this had happened. Until one of the warheads showed up in the goddamn front yard.""
- 2 the front part of a guided missile or rocket or torpedo that carries the nuclear or explosive charge or the chemical or biological agents wordnet
- 3 The glans penis. slang
Example
More examples"The scientist participated in developing high-voltage switches, a key component crucial for setting off explosions needed to trigger nuclear warhead."
Etymology
From war + head, originally to distinguish a live war head of a torpedo from an inert exercise head. Piecewise doublet of war chief.
Related phrases
More for "warhead"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.