biological weapon

noun

: a harmful biological agent (such as a pathogenic microorganism or a neurotoxin) used as a weapon to cause death or disease usually on a large scale

Examples of biological weapon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The framers of the BWC were clearly not thinking of mirror life forms, but mirror life could be considered a biological weapon and thereby fall under the convention’s remit. —Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025

The company has become increasingly concerned about the potential for model misuse in biological weapon development. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 18 July 2025

Advertisement Dawn of the Dead (1978) There's a credible case to be made that Romero's 1973 movie The Crazies, about a biological weapon that causes residents of a small town to go feral, qualifies as a zombie movie. —James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025

Ethan is on the hunt for a biological weapon called the Chimera virus as well as its cure, both of which were stolen by rogue IMF agent Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott). —Will Harris, EW.com, 23 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

biological weapon

noun

: a harmful living thing (as a disease-causing bacterium) or something (as a poisonous substance) produced by a living thing that is used as a weapon to cause death or disease

Medical Definition

biological weapon

noun

biological weap·​on -ˈwep-ən 

: a harmful biological agent (as a pathogenic microorganism or a neurotoxin) used as a weapon to cause death or disease usually on a large scale