munition

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See also: Munition

English

Etymology

From Latin mūnitiō (“a defence, fortification”) via French munition, from mūnīre (“fortify, defend (with a wall)”) +‎ -tiō, from moenia (“city walls, defensive walls, or walls in general”). Equivalent to munite +‎ -ion.

Pronunciation

Noun

munition (plural munitions)

  1. (chiefly in the plural) Materials of war: armaments, weapons and ammunition.
    • 1917, Upton Sinclair, The Profits of Religion […] ‎[1]:
      Just as we can say that an English girl who leaves the narrow circle of her old life, and goes into a munition factory and joins a union and takes part in its debates, will never after be a docile home-slave; so we can say that the clergyman who helps in Y. M. C. A. work in France, or in Red Cross organization in America, will be less the bigot and formalist forever after.
  2. (chiefly in the plural, military, NATO) Bombs, rockets, missiles (complete explosive devices, in contrast to e.g. guns).
  3. (rare, obsolete) A tower or fortification.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

munition (third-person singular simple present munitions, present participle munitioning, simple past and past participle munitioned)

  1. (transitive) To supply with munitions.
    • 1939, Philip George Chadwick, The Death Guard, page 154:
      Why was I there, munitioning, blacklegging, slaving as though my bread depended on it?

Derived terms

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin mūnitiōnem, from mūniō.

Pronunciation

Noun

munition f (plural munitions)

  1. ammunition (weaponry)

Usage notes

Generally used in the plural.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • English: munition

Further reading

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