shrapnel

noun

shrap·​nel ˈshrap-nᵊl 

 especially Southern  ˈsrap-

plural shrapnel

1

: a projectile that consists of a case provided with a powder charge and a large number of usually lead balls and that is exploded in flight

2

: bomb, mine, or shell fragments

Examples of shrapnel in a Sentence

He has a piece of shrapnel in his leg.

Shrapnel from the explosion wounded many people.

Recent Examples on the Web

There have been so many instances of shrapnel flying onto school property. —Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025

Key finds will also include fragments, shrapnel and device components, to help reconstruct the method of detonation. —Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2025

Knight was grazed by a bullet fragment or shrapnel from the car, while Shakur was shot four times, at least twice in the chest. —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 14 May 2025

He was wounded by shrapnel on the Ukrainian battlefield, but has now returned to the front lines. —ABC News, 11 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Henry Shrapnel †1842 English artillery officer

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

shrapnel

noun

shrap·​nel ˈshrap-nᵊl 

plural shrapnel

1

: a shell designed to burst and scatter metal balls with which it is filled along with jagged fragments of the case

2

: metal pieces from an exploded bomb, shell, or mine