Grenade
/ɡrəˈneɪd/noun
A small explosive device designed to be thrown by hand or launched.
Did you know?The term 'grenade' comes from the French word for pomegranate, symbolizing the fruit's many seeds that resemble the shrapnel of the weapon.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle Ages
Old French
grenade
“A pomegranate, named for its resemblance to the shape of early explosive devices.”
16th Century
Spanish
granada
“Referring to a pomegranate in Spanish, also adapted to mean a small bomb.”
17th Century
French
grenade
“Adopted to describe a small explosive device.”
Modern English
English
grenade
“The established term for a hand-thrown explosive weapon.”