torpedo

noun tor·pe·do \ tȯr-ˈpē-(ˌ)dō \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of torpedo

plural torpedoes

1 : a weapon for destroying ships by rupturing their hulls below the waterline: such as

a : a submarine mine

b : a thin cylindrical self-propelled underwater projectile

2 : a small firework that explodes when thrown against a hard object

3 : electric ray

4 : a professional gunman or assassin

5 : submarine 2

See torpedo defined for English-language learners

See torpedo defined for kids

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Examples of torpedo in a Sentence

The battleship was sunk by a torpedo fired by a submarine.
that deli's torpedoes are big enough to serve two people

Recent Examples of torpedo from the Web

Her fiancé went off to the Pacific as a U.S. Navy torpedo-bomber pilot, where he was shot down and rescued.

— gerald f. seib, WSJ, "Barbara Bush Dies at Age 92," 17 Apr. 2018
The next year, he was assigned to a torpedo squadron in the Pacific and piloted a Grumman Avenger.

— enid nemy, New York Times, "Barbara Bush, Wife of 41st President and Mother of 43rd, Dies at 92," 17 Apr. 2018
Otters are big, probably three times the size of mink, and range from 10 to 25 pounds with a muscular body that is torpedo-like.

— frank abderholden, Lake County News-Sun, "Otters making a comeback in Lake County and throughout the state," 11 Apr. 2018
There were 1,196 men on the ship when the torpedoes hit and tore apart the ship.

— bill leukhardt, Courant Community, "No Medal Possible For Waterbury's World War II Hero Priest," 9 Apr. 2018
George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Al—died aboard the U.S.S Juneau, after the ship was struck by a Japanese torpedo on November 13, 1942.

— sarah gibbens, National Geographic, "Famous WWII Shipwreck Found After 75 Years," 20 Mar. 2018
But when fires caused by the bombing reached the Lexington's aircraft fuel stores and burned out of control, the ship had to be abandoned, and the destroyer USS Phelps was ordered to scuttle the ship with torpedoes.

— sean gallagher, Ars Technica, "World War II carrier “Lady Lex” found 2 miles under sea by Allen expedition," 6 Mar. 2018
This sandwich is part of the reason: a long torpedo roll stuffed with a grilled cornucopia of rib-eye steak, onions, bell peppers and smoked provolone ($8.49).

— mike sutter, San Antonio Express-News, "5 San Antonio sandwiches to eat right now," 2 Apr. 2018
It was hit twice by torpedoes, the second of which split the ship in two.

— Washington Post, "Team backed by Microsoft co-founder Allen finds WWII wreck," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'torpedo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Like the adjective "torpid," "torpedo" can be traced back to the Latin verb torpēre, meaning "to be sluggish or numb." In Latin torpedo referred to stiffness or numbness, and also to the crampfish or electric ray. "Torpedo" first entered English as a name for the electric ray. During the Napoleonic Wars, the American inventor Robert Fulton experimented with an explosive charge for use against warships which he called a "torpedo" (and which we would now refer to as a mine), after the electric ray's ability to incapacitate creatures it comes in contact with. Fulton was also the inventor of the "Nautilus," an early hand-powered submarine which was one of the precursors of the vessels that would deliver the more familiar cigar-shaped torpedoes with such devastating effects during the 20th century's two World Wars.

Origin and Etymology of torpedo

Latin, literally, stiffness, numbness, from torpēre to be sluggish or numb — more at torpid

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1520

in the meaning defined at sense 3

See Words from the same year

torpedo

verb

Definition of torpedo

torpedoed; torpedoing play \tȯr-ˈpē-də-wiŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to hit or sink (a ship) with a naval torpedo : strike or destroy by torpedo

2 : to destroy or nullify altogether : wreck

torpedo a plan

See torpedo defined for English-language learners

Examples of torpedo in a Sentence

The submarine torpedoed the battleship.
Her injury torpedoed her goal of competing in the Olympics.

Recent Examples of torpedo from the Web

Already, President Donald Trump came out publicly against any changes to 401(k) retirement plans and some Republicans fear Trump could torpedo controversial provisions in the tax bill with a single Tweet.

— deirdre walsh, CNN, "Congress week ahead: Tax time crunch, Russia investigation march forward," 30 Oct. 2017
Channing King/IndyStar Researchers have found the Japanese submarine that torpedoed and sunk the USS Indianapolis, according to The Japan News and other media.

— indystar, Indianapolis Star, "Researchers find Japanese sub that sunk USS Indianapolis," 8 Sep. 2017
But the man who torpedoed the Aryan theory of bog bodies was prevented from working as an archaeologist after the war because of his Nazi past.

— christian als, Smithsonian, "Europe’s Famed Bog Bodies Are Starting to Reveal Their Secrets," 29 May 2017
But how come the progressive insurgence that torpedoed the first effort failed this time around?

— jeremy stahl, Slate Magazine, "Rudderless," 4 May 2017
Donnelly and Heitkamp similarly saw no discernible backlash to torpedoing the president’s first legislative priority.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Red State Democrats Have No Good Reason to Back Trump’s Tax Plan," 3 Oct. 2017
The plan faces political headwinds from both sides of the aisle, including from the same conservative House Freedom Caucus that helped torpedo an Obamacare replacement plan.

— heidi m. przybyla, Indianapolis Star, "Trump plans to enlist grassroots and Democrats to sell tax plan he will call biggest in history," 26 Sep. 2017
Especially in tournaments, owning a popular player that disappoints will torpedo your lineup.

— chris raybon, SI.com, "Strategy and Advice at Tight End in DFS Contests," 31 Aug. 2017
While Navy intelligence had intercept a message from the Japanese submarine responsible for torpedoing the Indianapolis, the transmission was dismissed as a hoax, and over the next four-and-a-half days, the sailors had to fend for themselves.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "After 72 Years, Wreck of USS Indianapolis Found, Closing Chapter on Tragic Tale," 21 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of torpedo

circa 1879

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

TORPEDO Defined for English Language Learners

torpedo

noun

Definition of torpedo for English Language Learners

: a bomb that is shaped like a tube and that is fired underwater

torpedo

verb

Definition of torpedo for English Language Learners

: to hit or sink (a ship) with a torpedo
: to destroy or stop (something) completely

TORPEDO Defined for Kids

torpedo

noun tor·pe·do \ tȯr-ˈpē-dō \

Definition of torpedo for Students

plural torpedoes

: a long narrow self-propelled underwater weapon used for blowing up ships

History for torpedo

In 1776, David Bushnell, a supporter of the American cause in the Revolutionary War, built a wooden submarine with a detachable container of gunpowder that could be hooked to an enemy ship and set to explode after the submarine steered clear. Bushnell is believed to have dubbed the container with the Latin word torpedo, “electric ray,” that is, a fish that delivers an electric shock. Though Bushnell's submarine and explosive device never damaged a British vessel, the name torpedo was later applied to modern weapons used to attack ships.