smokeless powder

noun

1. any of various substitutes for ordinary gunpowder that give off little or no smoke, especially one composed wholly or mostly of guncotton.

smokeless powder

noun

1. any one of a number of explosives that burn with relatively little smoke. They consist mainly of nitrocellulose and are used as propellants

Word History and Origins

Origin of smokeless powder¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

There is no known direct link between these particular shipments of smokeless powder and the Ukrainian battlefield, and in customs paperwork Poly Technologies described the powder as being “for assembly of foreign-style hunting cartridges.”

From New York Times

He also bought a container of smokeless powder that could be used to make a bomb, and gave it to Farook.

From Los Angeles Times

An FBI affidavit said the device was made of three galvanized steel pipes and smokeless powder and was attached to a remote-control toy car.

From Los Angeles Times

Marquez faces five charges, including supplying the weapons and smokeless powder contained in an explosive device found at the scene of the attack, plus marriage fraud.

From The Guardian

This catalog of explosive scents includes TNT, smokeless powder, potassium chlorate, C-4 plastic explosive, detonating cord, and ammonium nitrate.

From Scientific American