shrapnel

n., pl. shrapnel.

1. Fragments from an exploded artillery shell, mine, or bomb.
2. 1. A 19th-century artillery shell containing metal balls, designed to explode in the air above enemy troops.
   2. The metal balls in such a weapon.

[After Henry Shrapnel (1761–1842), British army officer.]

[ܒ˜ræpnǝl]

ˈ˜ræpnǝl 1. an artillery shell designed to explode in mid-air with a lethal spray of metal projectiles.

2. fragments of a bomb, shell, or other object thrown out by an explosion.Also called shrap.

During the Civil War and Spanish-American War, shrapnel shells projected up to 350 pieces of metal and were capable of wounding or killing at up to 40 yards from the point of explosion. Shrapnel shells were discontinued by World War II. The shrapnel shell was invented by British general Henry Shrapnel.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

For more information on shrapnel, visit Britannica.com.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - granatsplinter, granatkardæsk

Nederlands (Dutch)
granaatscherven

Français (French)
n. - éclat d'obus

Deutsch (German)
n. - Schrapnell

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - βολιδοφόρα οβίδα, σράπνελ

Italiano (Italian)
scheggia, granata a frammentazione

Português (Portuguese)
n. - granada (f) (Mil.)

Русский (Russian)
шрапнель

Español (Spanish)
n. - metralla

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - granatsplitter, granatkartesch

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
炮弹碎片, 榴霰弹

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 炮彈碎片, 榴霰彈

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 유산탄, 포탄의 파편

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 榴散弾, 爆弾の破片

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شظايا قنبله أو لغم‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮רסיסים, פציצים, שרפנל‬

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