black powder

noun

: an explosive mixture of potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur used especially in fireworks and as a propellant in antique firearms compare gunpowder

Examples of black powder in a Sentence

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The multi-layer bomb explosion itself was caused by a black powder and silt bag and yet another bag filled with napalm. Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019 There's still a lot of kick, and there's a lot more smoke because of the black powder that's being used. ArsTechnica, 14 Apr. 2025 Even so, the sports bra’s evolution as a black powder for the feminist movement, and a flash appeal for female entrepreneurs in its aftermath, surprised Lindahl. Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 Farmers saw it as a supercharged fertilizer, while chemists viewed it as the lifeblood of black powder. Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for black powder

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black powder was in 1793

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Cite this Entry

“Black powder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20powder. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

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