Molotov breadbasket

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word Molotov breadbasket. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word Molotov breadbasket, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say Molotov breadbasket in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word Molotov breadbasket you have here. The definition of the word Molotov breadbasket will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofMolotov breadbasket, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms

Etymology

Coined around 1940 to describe cluster munitions used in Finland by the Soviet Union during the 1939–1940 Winter War. From Molotov +‎ breadbasket, after Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov. Compare Molotov cocktail.

Noun

Molotov breadbasket (plural Molotov breadbaskets)

  1. A cluster bomb; a munition that disperses multiple smaller explosives.
    • 2001, Steven H. Newton, Kursk: The German View, page 187:
      Our bombardment aircraft dropped this armament in bomb-shaped 250- and 500-kilogram canisters (models AB250 and AB500). These fragmentation bombs proved to be extremely effective against live targets when discharged by a scatter drop (an adaptation of the Molotov “bread basket”).
  2. (specifically) The RRAB-3, a Soviet cluster bomb.
    • 1940, “Soviet army's new weapons”, in Life, volume 8, number 14, page 34:
      Molotov breadbasket” is a large bomb container which, whirled by its fins, drops low, then sprays out a mass of 4 1/2 pound incendiary bombs.
    • 2010, Gro Nystuen, Stuart Casey-Maslen, The Convention on Cluster Munitions: A Commentary, page 6:
      The Russian air force dropped RRAB-3 ‘Molotov bread basket’ incendiary cluster munitions on Finland during the ‘Winter War’ in January 1940, and perhaps even earlier.