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

As grenades drop from drones, Moïse calls the coordinator of his security, Jean Laguel Civil. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 June 2024

Warplanes were firing, drones were firing, sound grenades. —Benjamin Brown, CNN, 11 June 2024

She was deployed in February 2003 and one month later her convoy would be hit by an enemy grenade. —Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 25 May 2024

River’s been beaten, stun-gunned, tied up, left for dead, and blown up with a grenade. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 18 May 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