Definition

1. Noun:
   • A weapon that uses chemicals to cause death or severe harm: A "chemical weapon" is a device or munition designed to deliver toxic chemical substances. Its primary purpose is to inflict death, serious injury, or temporary incapacitation on people, and it can also harm animals and damage plants or materials.

Usage

• The term "chemical weapon" is used to describe a specific category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). It refers to the complete apparatus, including the toxic chemical itself and the delivery system (e.g., missile, bomb, sprayer). Its use in warfare is prohibited by international law.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The treaty strictly prohibits the development and use of any chemical weapon.
  • Investigators found evidence of a banned chemical weapon at the site.
  • Soldiers must be trained in defense against a potential chemical weapon attack.

Advanced Usage

• "Weapon of mass destruction (WMD)": "Chemical weapon" is a sub-category under this broader classification, which also includes biological and nuclear weapons.
• "Chemical warfare agent": This term often refers specifically to the toxic chemical substance itself (e.g., sarin, mustard gas), which is the core component of a chemical weapon.

Variants and Related Words

• Chemical Warfare (n): The military use of chemical weapons.
  • The horrors of chemical warfare were evident in World War I.
• Chemical Agent (n): A broader term for any chemical substance used for its toxic effects, which may be a component of a weapon or used for other purposes like riot control.
• Nerve Agent (n): A specific, deadly class of chemical agent that attacks the nervous system, often used in chemical weapons.

Synonyms

• Toxin-based weapon: A less common synonym emphasizing the poisonous nature of the agent.
• CW (abbreviation): A common military and diplomatic abbreviation for "chemical weapon(s)."

Related Phrases

• Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC): The international treaty that bans the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons.
• Disarmament and destruction: Phrases commonly associated with the elimination of chemical weapon stockpiles.

Noun

1. chemical substances that can be delivered using munitions and dispersal devices to cause death or severe harm to people and animals and plants