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non-lethal. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
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English
Etymology
From non- + lethal.
Adjective
non-lethal (not comparable)
- Not capable of causing death.
a non-lethal dose
- Designed to cause incapacitation without causing death.
- Synonym: less-lethal
Government officials think a universal malodor, or offensive odor, might prove effective as a non-lethal weapon.
Translations
not capable of causing death
Noun
non-lethal (plural non-lethals)
- Any weapon that incapacitates without causing death.
Usage notes
- Weapons designed to incapacitate can still cause death, so the more precise term less-lethal is sometimes used instead.