dynamite

¹dy·na·mite

noun \ˈdī-nə-ˌmīt\

Definition of DYNAMITE

1

: an explosive that is made of nitroglycerin absorbed in a porous material and that often contains ammonium nitrate or cellulose nitrate; also : an explosive (as a mixture of ammonium nitrate and nitrocellulose) that contains no nitroglycerin

2

: one that has a powerful effect <an actress who's dynamite at the box office>; also : something that has great potential to cause trouble or conflict <an issue regarded as political dynamite>

— dy·na·mit·ic \ˌdī-nə-ˈmi-tik\ adjective

Examples of DYNAMITE

1. The death penalty is political dynamite.

Origin of DYNAMITE

International Scientific Vocabulary dynam- (from Greek dynamis power) + ¹-ite

First Known Use: 1867

Rhymes with DYNAMITE

acolyte, aconite, aerolite, Ammonite, Amorite, amosite, anchorite, andesite, anthracite, antiwhite, apartheid, appetite, arsenite, azurite, Bakelite, bedlamite, Benthamite, biotite, bipartite, black-and-white, blatherskite, bleacherite, bring to light, Brooklynite, bryophyte, calamite, Canaanite, candlelight, Carmelite, Castroite, catamite, cellulite, cenobite, chalcocite, chestnut blight, Chinese white, columbite, coprolite, copyright, cryolite, crystallite, disinvite, disunite, divine right, dolerite, dolomite, ebonite, epiphyte, eremite, erudite, expedite, extradite, featherlight, fight-or-flight, fly-by-night, gelignite, geophyte, gesundheit, gigabyte, Gilsonite, Hashemite, hematite, hemocyte, hessonite, Hitlerite, Houstonite, hug-me-tight, Hutterite, hyalite, Ibsenite, impolite, inner light, Ishmaelite, Isle of Wight, Israelite, Jacobite, Jerseyite, Josephite, kilobyte, kimberlite, laborite, lazulite, leading light, Leavisite, Leninite, leukocyte, lily-white, localite, lymphocyte, macrophyte, magnetite, malachite, manganite, Marcionite, Masonite, megabyte, Mennonite, Minorite, Moabite, Mr. Right, muscovite, Muscovite, Nazirite, neophyte, oocyte, open sight, out-of-sight, overbite, overflight, overnight, oversight, overwrite, parasite, patent right, perovskite, phagocyte, pilot light, plebiscite, proselyte, Puseyite, pyrrhotite, recondite, reunite, rhyolite, running light, Saint Paulite, saprolite, satellite, Scottish rite, second sight, see the light, self-ignite, serve one right, shergottite, socialite, sodalite, sodomite, spider mite, Stagirite, Sydneyite, taconite, tanzanite, terabyte, time-of-flight, traffic light, transfinite, transvestite, tripartite, troglodyte, Trotskyite, Ulsterite, ultralight, underwrite, urbanite, vigil light, Wahhabite, water right, water sprite, watertight, Wycliffite, xerophyte, yesternight, zoophyte