weapon

[ wep-uhn ]
See synonyms for: weaponweaponsweaponless on Thesaurus.com

noun
  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.

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

verb (used with object)
  1. to supply or equip with a weapon or weapons: to weapon aircraft with heat-seeking missiles.

Origin of weapon

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English wepen, Old English wǣpen; cognate with German Waffe, Old Norse vāpn, Gothic wēpna (plural)

Other words from weapon

  • weaponed, adjective
  • weap·on·less, adjective
  • outweaponed, adjective
  • su·per·weap·on, noun
  • un·weap·oned, adjective

Words Nearby weapon

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use weapon in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for weapon

weapon

/ (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

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

  2. a slang word for penis

Origin of weapon

1
Old English wǣpen; related to Old Norse vápn, Old Frisian wēpen, Old High German wāffan

Derived forms of weapon

  • weaponed, adjective
  • weaponless, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012