mustard gas

noun

: an irritant vesicant oily liquid C4H8Cl2S used especially as a chemical weapon

Examples of mustard gas in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Derived from a relative of mustard gas, the drug is known to be highly toxic to a variety of blood cells; in fact, doctors had long used it to kill the diseased bone marrow in patients before transplant. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2024 In 24 hours more than 600 people in the area reported symptoms of mustard gas poisoning. Andrea Gawrylewski, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2020 His case hinges on the argument that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s unleashing of massive amounts of mustard gas and nerve agents on unprotected civilians during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s had few consequences. Målfrid Braut-Hegghammer, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2013 There was nothing more satisfying than landing a good headshot on an enemy soldier vacating a building full of mustard gas. WIRED, 20 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for mustard gas 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mustard gas.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mustard gas was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near mustard gas

Cite this Entry

“Mustard gas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mustard%20gas. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

mustard gas

noun
: a poisonous gas used in war that has strongly irritating and especially blistering effects

Medical Definition

mustard gas

noun
: an irritant oily liquid C4H8Cl2S used especially as a chemical weapon that causes blistering, attacks the eyes and lungs, and is a systemic poison

called also dichlorethyl sulfide, sulfur mustard

More from Merriam-Webster on mustard gas

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