Definition

Noun: A type of nuclear weapon designed to release a large amount of lethal neutron radiation while minimizing blast effects and radioactive fallout. Its primary destructive mechanism is intended to be the intense radiation, which can penetrate armor and structures to kill living organisms.

Usage

The term "neutron bomb" is used to describe a specific class of tactical nuclear weapon. It is typically discussed in military, political, and historical contexts concerning nuclear strategy, arms control, and the ethics of warfare.

Examples

• The controversial neutron bomb was designed to destroy enemy personnel while leaving buildings and infrastructure relatively intact.
• Debates in the 1970s and 80s often focused on whether deploying neutron bombs lowered the threshold for using nuclear weapons.
• The technical term for a neutron bomb is an "Enhanced Radiation Weapon."

Advanced Usage

• "to weaponize neutron radiation": This phrase describes the core principle behind the neutron bomb's design.
  • The weapon's goal was to effectively weaponize neutron radiation for tactical purposes.

Variants and Related Words

• Enhanced Radiation Weapon (ERW): The formal technical and military designation for a neutron bomb.
• Thermonuclear weapon: A broader category of nuclear weapons that includes hydrogen bombs, which operate on fusion principles. A neutron bomb is a specialized type of thermonuclear weapon.

Synonyms

• Enhanced Radiation Warhead: A synonym emphasizing the warhead's specific characteristic.
• ERW: The common acronym for Enhanced Radiation Weapon.

Related Phrases

• Radiation weapon: A more general term that could encompass a neutron bomb.
• Tactical nuclear weapon: A category of lower-yield nuclear arms for battlefield use, under which neutron bombs were often classified.

Noun

1. atom bomb that produces lethal neutrons with less blast