Weapon of mass destruction

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any human-made weapon causing indiscriminate large-scale death or destruction, especially a biological weapon, chemical weapon, nuclear weapon or radiological weapon.
  2. 2
    a weapon that kills or injures civilian as well as military personnel (nuclear and chemical and biological weapons) wordnet

Etymology

First attested in 1937 in referring to bombing campaigns during the Spanish Civil War.