Meanings
- uncountableThe jargon of war and military operations.
My personal favorite that emerged from the fog of warspeak was gorilla snot (2001), a gluelike substance that is spread over sand to prevent a dust cloud from forming whenever a helicopter takes off or lands.
2004, Paul McFedries, Word Spy: The Word Lover's Guide to Modern Culture, Broadway Books, →ISBN2 more examples
In an interesting passage the author discusses what he considers the kind of "Warspeak that glorified and sanitized the actions of the U.S.-led allied forces (the use of words like eliminate, neutralize, loyal, brave, cautious, etc.) […]
1993, Political Science Quarterly, volume 108, page 184Whatever your views about the rights and wrongs of these military campaigns, you would probably agree that it is psychologically easier to kill 'gooks' and 'turkeys' than human beings. Here are some more examples of 'warspeak', which is often used to cover up the reality on the ground.
2015, Richard van de Lagemaat, Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 106
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
Cite this entry
warspeak. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/warspeak
“warspeak.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/warspeak. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “warspeak,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/warspeak.
Source: warspeak on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.