gunpowder

[ guhn-pou-der ]
See synonyms for gunpowder on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an explosive mixture, as of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal, used in shells and cartridges, in fireworks, for blasting, etc.

  2. Also called gunpowder tea . a fine variety of green China tea, each leaf of which is rolled into a little ball.

Origin of gunpowder

1
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at gun1, powder1

Other words from gunpowder

  • gun·pow·der·y, adjective

Words Nearby gunpowder

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How to use gunpowder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gunpowder

gunpowder

/ (ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə) /


noun
  1. an explosive mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulphur (typical proportions are 75:15:10): used in time fuses, blasting, and fireworks: Also called: black powder

Derived forms of gunpowder

  • gunpowdery, adjective

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