grenade

A grenade is a small explosive weapon, usually small enough to be thrown by hand, though some types are launched from a rifle or other device. It is designed for short-range use and usually explodes after a brief delay. Many grenades have a metal body, an internal charge, and a fuse or trigger system. Some are made to send fragments outward and injure people nearby, while others create smoke, bright light, loud sound, gas, or fire for military or police use.

Over time, grenades have appeared in many forms. Earlier versions were simple containers filled with explosive or burning material, while modern ones are built for specific jobs, such as fragmentation, smoke screening, signaling, or stun effects. The old comparison with a pomegranate is important to the history of the word: the name comes through French from a word for that fruit, likely because of the shape of early examples.

Outside literal weapon use, the word is also used as a metaphor for something that suddenly causes damage, shock, or confusion. A writer might say a rumor was "like a grenade in the meeting" to show that it changed the mood at once. In that figurative sense, the idea is still the same: something small that creates a big and sudden impact.