TERMIUM Plus®

From: Translation Bureau

On social media

Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.

INCENDIARY WEAPON [4 records]

Record 1 2026-01-08

English

Subject field(s)
  • Incendiary Weapons
  • Arms Control
DEF

A weapon or munition which is primarily designed to set fire to objects or to cause burn injury to persons through the action of flame, heat, or combination thereof, produced by a chemical reaction of a substance delivered on the target.

CONT

Incendiary weapons can take the form of, for example, flame throwers, fougasses, shells, rockets, grenades, mines, bombs and other containers of incendiary substances.

OBS

incendiary weapon : term extracted from the "Disarmament and Peace Keeping" glossary with the permission of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Armes incendiaires
  • Contrôle des armements
OBS

arme incendiaire : terme tiré du lexique «Désarmement et Maintien de la Paix» avec l'autorisation de l'Office des Nations Unies à Genève.

Spanish

Save record 1

Record 2 2025-03-24

English

Subject field(s)
  • Incendiary Weapons
DEF

A weapon that projects incendiary fuel and has provision for ignition of this fuel.

OBS

flame-thrower: designation and definition standardized by NATO.

Key term(s)
  • flamethrower
  • flame thrower

French

Domaine(s)
  • Armes incendiaires
DEF

Arme qui projette un liquide incendiaire et qui est dotée d'un système d'allumage.

OBS

lance-flammes : désignation et définition normalisées par l'OTAN.

Key term(s)
  • lance flammes

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Armas incendiarias
DEF

Arma que proyecta combustible incendiario y que tiene un dispositivo para provocar su ignición.

Save record 2

Record 3 2024-08-19

English

Subject field(s)
  • Chemistry
  • Explosives and Pyrotechnical Materials (Industries)
  • CBRNE Weapons
CONT

White phosphorus(WP) is a flare-and smoke-producing incendiary weapon, or smoke-screening agent, made from a common allotrope of the chemical element phosphorus. White phosphorus bombs and shells are incendiary devices, but can also be used as an offensive anti-personnel flame compound capable of causing serious burns or death. The agent is used in bombs, artillery shells, and mortar shells which burst into burning flakes of phosphorus upon impact. White phosphorus is commonly referred to in military jargon as "WP". The Vietnam-era slang "Willy(ie) Pete" or "Willy(ie) Peter" is still occasionally heard.

Key term(s)
  • white phosphorous

French

Domaine(s)
  • Chimie
  • Explosifs et artifices (Industries)
  • Armes CBRNE
CONT

Le phosphore blanc (surnommé «Willie Pete» ou «Willie Peter», provenant des initiales WP pour «white phosphorus» en anglais) était redouté pour ses effets dévastateurs.

OBS

phosphore blanc; WP : désignation et abréviation uniformisées par le Comité de terminologie française du Conseil de doctrine et de tactique de l'Armée de terre et par le Groupe de travail de terminologie des munitions.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Química
  • Explosivos y fuegos de artificio (Industrias)
  • Armas QBRNE
CONT

El fósforo blanco se usa para fines militares en granadas y municiones de artillería para alumbrar, generar cortinas de humo o como material incendiario.

Save record 3

Record 4 2008-02-06

English

Subject field(s)
  • Energy (Physics)
  • Weapon Systems
DEF

The primary lethal or non-lethal effect produced by firing a weapon or ammunition.

OBS

Fire is a collective noun that includes blast, the scattering of incendiary elements and the discharge of rounds or shrapnel, regardless of the weapon or ammunition of origin. Fire also includes, for example, illumination or smoke from illumination or smoke ammunition.

OBS

fire: term to be used by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Énergie (Physique)
  • Systèmes d'armes
DEF

Effet primaire, létal ou non létal, produit par le tir d'armes ou de munitions.

OBS

Le terme «feu» est un nom collectif qui désigne à la fois le souffle, la dispersion d'éléments incendiaires et la décharge de coups ou de shrapnel, peu importe l'arme ou la munition utilisée. Il peut désigner aussi, entre autres, l'éclat ou la fumée des munitions éclairantes ou fumigènes.

OBS

feu : terme d'usage obligatoire au ministère de la Défense nationale et dans les Forces canadiennes.

Spanish

Save record 4

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Features

GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)

Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: