grenade

noun

gre·​nade grə-ˈnād 

: a small missile that contains an explosive or a chemical agent (such as tear gas, a flame producer, or a smoke producer) and that is thrown by hand or projected (as by a rifle or special launcher)

Examples of grenade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The class’s signature weapon, a crossbow, can mimic the feel of an assault rifle, a shotgun, a sniper, or a grenade launcher depending on the skills and ammunition type in use. —Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2024

During the assault, 24-year-old James Eagan Holmes killed 12 and injured 70 others using tear gas grenades and multiple weapons. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024

The Season 2 finale took a grenade to the series’ central relationship, with Will placing Angie under arrest for tampering with evidence in the Lenny Broussard case. —Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 19 Nov. 2024

But on this day a grenade struck his bunker, burying the 27-year-old private beneath the rubble. —Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, literally, pomegranate, from Late Latin granata, from Latin, feminine of granatus seedy, from granum grain — more at corn

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing grenade

• concussion grenade
• flash-bang grenade
• flash grenade
• fragmentation grenade
• smoke grenade
• stun grenade

Kids Definition

grenade

noun

gre·​nade grə-ˈnād 

: a small bomb that is thrown by hand or launched (as by a rifle)

Etymology

from early French grenade, granade "pomegranate, grenade," from Latin granata "pomegranate," derived from Latin granatus "seedy," from granum "grain, seed" — related to garnet, grain, pomegranate see Word History at garnet