ammonal: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical
Quick answer
What does “ammonal” mean?
An explosive mixture consisting mainly of ammonium nitrate and aluminium powder.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An explosive mixture consisting mainly of ammonium nitrate and aluminium powder.
A high explosive, often used industrially for demolition or mining; historically also used in military ordnance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences; the term is technical and consistent across varieties.
Connotations
Neutral/technical; carries associations of industrial use, military history, and danger.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language; used only within specialised fields.
Grammar
How to Use “ammonal” in a Sentence
[The engineers] used ammonal [to demolish the structure]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ammonal” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The quarry workers will ammonal the face before the detonation.
American English
- They ammonaled the rock formation to clear the path.
adjective
British English
- The ammonal mixture was carefully prepared.
American English
- They used an ammonal charge for the demolition.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical texts on military technology or papers on explosive engineering.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Primary context: explosives engineering, mining, demolition, military history.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ammonal”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ammonal”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ammonal”
- Misspelling as 'ammonel' or 'amonnal'. Confusing it with the chemical 'ammonia'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Its use has declined in favour of more modern and stable explosives, but it is still referenced in historical and some specialised industrial contexts.
No. Ammonal is a high explosive and should only be handled by trained professionals with proper licensing and safety protocols.
Its primary components are ammonium nitrate as an oxidiser and aluminium powder as a fuel, sometimes with other additives.
Only indirectly, as both words share the root 'ammon-' referring to ammonium compounds. Their functions and contexts are completely different.
An explosive mixture consisting mainly of ammonium nitrate and aluminium powder.
Ammonal is usually technical in register.
Ammonal: in British English it is pronounced /ˈæmənæl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈæməˌnæl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
AMMONal contains AMMOnium nitrate and aluMINIUM – the name combines parts of its two main components.
Conceptual Metaphor
No common conceptual metaphors.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary use of ammonal?