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non-lethal

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: nonlethal

English

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Etymology

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From non- +‎ lethal.

Adjective

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non-lethal (not comparable)

  1. Not capable of causing death.
    a non-lethal dose
  2. 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

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Noun

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non-lethal (plural non-lethals)

  1. Any weapon that incapacitates without causing death.

Usage notes

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  • Weapons designed to incapacitate can still cause death, so the more precise term less-[than-]lethal is sometimes used instead.