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munition

/mjuˈnɪʃən/
IPA guide

Other forms: munitions; munitioned; munitioning

Munitions are a collection of weapons and any equipment that goes with them. An army's cache of guns and bullets are its munitions.

You'll usually see the noun munitions in its plural form, since it refers to arms and ammunition collectively, as a group. The word comes up mostly in discussions of wars and battles and the military. A munitions factory is the place where these supplies are made, and a munitions worker is someone who labors there. As a verb, munition means "to supply with weapons." The Latin root is munitionem, "a defending or protecting."

Definitions of munition
  1. noun
    weapons considered collectively
    see moresee less
    types:
    ammo, ammunition
    projectiles to be fired from a gun
    armament
    weaponry used by military or naval force
    bomb
    an explosive device fused to explode under specific conditions
    defence system, defense system
    the weaponry available for the defense of a region
    gunnery
    guns collectively
    hardware
    major items of military weaponry (as tanks or missile)
    naval weaponry
    weaponry for warships
    armory, armoury, arsenal
    all the weapons and equipment that a country has
    artillery, gun, heavy weapon, ordnance
    large but transportable armament
    A-bomb, atom bomb, atomic bomb, fission bomb, plutonium bomb
    a nuclear weapon in which enormous energy is released by nuclear fission (splitting the nuclei of a heavy element like uranium 235 or plutonium 239)
    Fugo, balloon bomb
    a bomb carried by a balloon
    belt, belt ammunition, belted ammunition
    ammunition (usually of small caliber) loaded in flexible linked strips for use in a machine gun
    bomblet, cluster bomblet
    one of the smaller bombs that are released from a cluster bomb
    bombshell
    an explosive bomb or artillery shell
    briefcase bomb
    a bomb consisting of an explosive and timer hidden inside a briefcase
    broadside
    all of the armament that is fired from one side of a warship
    car bomb
    a bomb placed in a car and wired to explode when the ignition is started or by remote control or by a timing device
    cartridge
    ammunition consisting of a cylindrical casing containing an explosive charge and a bullet; fired from a rifle or handgun
    canister, canister shot, case shot
    a metallic cylinder packed with shot and used as ammunition in a firearm
    chemical bomb, gas bomb
    a bomb laden with chemical agents that are released when the bomb explodes
    cluster bomb
    bomb consisting of a canister that is dropped from a plane and that opens to release a cluster of bomblets (usually fragmentation bombs) over a wide area
    cruise missile
    an unmanned aircraft that is a self-contained bomb
    depth bomb, depth charge
    a bomb that explodes at a preset depth under water; antisubmarine device
    dumb bomb, gravity bomb
    a bomb that falls because of gravity and is not guided to a target
    fire control system
    naval weaponry consisting of a system for controlling the delivery of fire on a military target
    anti-personnel bomb, antipersonnel bomb, daisy cutter, fragmentation bomb
    a bomb with only 10 to 20 per cent explosive and the remainder consisting of casings designed to break into many small high-velocity fragments; most effective against troops and vehicles
    gas shell
    (military) bomb consisting of an explosive projectile filled with a toxic gas that is released when the bomb explodes
    GP bomb, general-purpose bomb
    a large bomb (500 to 2,000 pounds that is 50% explosive) whose explosion creates a blast and whose metal casing creates some fragmentation effect
    grenade
    a small explosive bomb thrown by hand or fired from a missile
    H-bomb, fusion bomb, hydrogen bomb, thermonuclear bomb
    a nuclear weapon that releases atomic energy by union of light (hydrogen) nuclei at high temperatures to form helium
    firebomb, incendiary, incendiary bomb
    a bomb that is designed to start fires; is most effective against flammable targets (such as fuel)
    launcher, rocket launcher
    armament in the form of a device capable of launching a rocket
    letter bomb, package bomb, parcel bomb
    a thin explosive device inside an envelope or package and detonated when opened
    megaton bomb
    a nuclear weapon with an explosive power equivalent to one million tons of TNT
    E-bomb, microwave bomb
    a bomb that explodes in midair and releases a massive burst of electromagnetic energy sufficient to disable computers and telecommunications without killing people or damaging buildings
    missile defence system, missile defense system
    naval weaponry providing a defense system
    ordnance, ordnance store
    military supplies
    naval gun
    naval weaponry consisting of a large gun carried on a warship
    naval missile
    naval weaponry consisting of a missile carried on a warship
    penetration bomb
    a bomb with about 30% explosive and a casing designed to penetrate hardened targets before the explosive detonates
    pipe bomb
    a small homemade bomb usually contained in a metal pipe
    plastic bomb
    a bomb made of plastic explosive
    powder and shot
    ammunition consisting of gunpowder and bullets for muskets
    remote-control bomb
    a bomb that can be detonated by remote control
    one shot, round, unit of ammunition
    a charge of ammunition for a single shot
    shell
    ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
    smart bomb
    a bomb that can be guided (by a laser beam or radio) to its target
    smoke bomb, smoke grenade
    a bomb that gives off thick smoke when it explodes; used to make a smoke screen or to mark a position
    stench bomb, stink bomb
    a small bomb designed to give off a foul odor when it explodes
    infernal machine, time bomb
    a bomb that has a detonating mechanism that can be set to go off at a particular time
    torpedo
    armament consisting of a long cylindrical self-propelled underwater projectile that detonates on contact with a target
    tracer, tracer bullet
    ammunition whose flight can be observed by a trail of smoke
    type of:
    instrumentality, instrumentation
    an artifact (or system of artifacts) that is instrumental in accomplishing some end
  2. noun
    military supplies
    see moresee less
    type of:
    armament
    weaponry used by military or naval force
  3. noun
    defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it
    synonyms: fortification
    see moresee less
    examples:
    Maginot Line
    a fortification built before World War II to protect France's eastern border; initially considered to be impregnable, it was easily overrun by the German army in 1940
    Siegfried line
    German fortifications facing the Maginot Line
    types:
    bastion
    projecting part of a rampart or other fortification
    bunker, dugout
    a fortification of earth; mostly or entirely below ground
    castle
    a large building formerly occupied by a ruler and fortified against attack
    defilade
    the arrangement of defensive fortifications to protect against enemy fire
    entrenchment, intrenchment
    an entrenched fortification; a position protected by trenches
    escarp, escarpment, protective embankment, scarp
    a steep artificial slope in front of a fortification
    fieldwork
    a temporary fortification built by troops in the field
    lunette
    temporary fortification like a detached bastion
    palisade
    fortification consisting of a strong fence made of stakes driven into the ground
    breastwork, parapet
    fortification consisting of a low wall
    redoubt
    (military) a temporary or supplementary fortification; typically square or polygonal without flanking defenses
    stockade
    fortification consisting of a fence made of a line of stout posts set firmly for defense
    fox hole, foxhole
    a small dugout with a pit for individual shelter against enemy fire
    funk hole
    dugout as a place of safe retreat (when in a funk)
    machicolation
    a projecting parapet supported by corbels on a medieval castle; has openings through which stones or boiling water could be dropped on an enemy
    retrenchment
    entrenchment consisting of an additional interior fortification to prolong the defense
    type of:
    defence, defense, defensive structure
    a structure used to defend against attack
  4. verb
    supply with weapons
    see moresee less
    type of:
    arm
    supply with arms
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