Definition

1. Noun:
   • A powerful explosive compound: Trinitrotoluene is a yellow, crystalline solid chemical compound used as a high explosive. It is known for its relative insensitivity to shock and friction, making it safer to handle than many other explosives.
   • A derivative of toluene: Chemically, it is produced by nitrating toluene, resulting in a compound with three nitro groups.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The demolition crew used trinitrotoluene to bring down the old building safely.
  • Trinitrotoluene, often abbreviated as TNT, is a standard measure for the energy released in explosions.

Advanced Usage

• "TNT equivalent": A unit for quantifying the energy released in an explosion, comparing it to the energy released by detonating trinitrotoluene.
  • The nuclear blast had a yield of several megatons of TNT equivalent.

Variants and Related Words

• TNT (n): The common abbreviation for trinitrotoluene.
  • The shipment was labeled as containing TNT.

Synonyms

• High explosive: A general term for powerful explosives like trinitrotoluene.
• Dynamite: Another high explosive, though chemically different.

Noun

1. explosive consisting of a yellow crystalline compound that is a flammable toxic derivative of toluene