shrapnel

shrapnel · noun¹

From Shrapnel. Named after British army officer Henry Shrapnel (1761–1842) who invented an anti-personnel shell that transported a large number of bullets to the target before releasing them, at a far greater distance than rifles could fire the bullets individually. The surname is likely a metathesized form of Charbonnel, a diminutive of Old French charbon (“charcoal”) in reference to hair color, complexion, or the like.

Shrapnel · proper noun²

1. French · derived fromCharbonnel
2. English todayShrapnel

From French Charbonnel, from charbon (“coal, charcoal”).