fléchette

[ fley-shet ]

noun

, plural flé·chettes [fley-, shets, fley-, shet].

1. Military. a small, dartlike metal projectile used as shrapnel in antipersonnel bombs and shells.
2. a bullet with a thin, hard metal spine, designed to tumble on impact and thus cause an incapacitating wound.

fléchette

/ fleɪˈʃɛt /

noun

1. a steel dart or missile dropped from an aircraft, as in World War I

Word History and Origins

Origin of fléchette¹

From French, dating back to 1910–15; flèche, -ette

Word History and Origins

Origin of fléchette¹

from French; see flèche

Example Sentences

The American helicopters had strafed the Iranian vessels Mahdavi oversaw with machine guns, rockets and “fléchette” rounds - small metal darts.

From Washington Times

The American helicopters had strafed the Iranian vessels Mahdavi oversaw with machine guns, rockets and “fléchette” rounds — small metal darts.

From Seattle Times

Kay’s sumptuous bath had to be set up in the box-room, between two towel-horses and an old box of selected games which contained a worn-out straw dart-board—it was called flechette in those days—because all the other rooms were full of packing.

From Literature

A 2011 report by a Israeli nongovernmental organization, B’Tselem, argued that the use of flechette shells in civilian areas was in breach of human rights.

From Newsweek

“If the allegations of flechette shells being used are true, then that is very serious,” Andrew Smith of the Campaign Against Arms Trade told Newsweek.

From Newsweek