bofors gun: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical, historical, military
Quick answer
What does “bofors gun” mean?
A specific make of quick-firing, anti-aircraft artillery gun, originally designed by the Swedish company Bofors AB.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific make of quick-firing, anti-aircraft artillery gun, originally designed by the Swedish company Bofors AB.
Often used as a generic reference to medium-caliber, automatic anti-aircraft cannons used by various militaries, especially during and after World War II.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Identical in technical/historical usage. Possibly slightly more frequent in UK English due to extensive Commonwealth use in WW2.
Connotations
Historical military efficiency, reliable defensive technology, WW2-era armament.
Frequency
Rare in general language; used almost exclusively in historical or technical military contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “bofors gun” in a Sentence
[The/Our] + [noun phrase] + was armed with + a Bofors gunThey deployed + [number] + Bofors guns + to + [location]The + [vehicle/ship] + mounted + a Bofors gunVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bofors gun” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Bofors-gun emplacement was camouflaged.
- A Bofors-gun variant was developed.
American English
- The Bofors-gun position was overrun.
- Bofors-gun technology was widely licensed.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, military history, and engineering contexts discussing 20th-century armaments.
Everyday
Extremely rare; only among military history enthusiasts or veterans.
Technical
Precise term for a specific artillery piece in military manuals, hardware documentation, and defence literature.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bofors gun”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bofors gun”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bofors gun”
- Writing 'boffors', 'bofers', or 'bofor's gun'.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They boforsed the plane').
- Using lowercase 'bofors gun' in formal technical writing where the proper noun should be capitalized.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In formal and technical writing, yes, because 'Bofors' is a proper noun (the company name). In informal contexts, it is sometimes seen in lowercase.
No, it refers specifically to the guns manufactured by or based on the designs of the Swedish company Bofors AB. Using it generically is technically incorrect but occurs in historical slang.
Modernised versions and derivatives of the original 40mm Bofors design are still in service in some militaries, though largely superseded by missile systems for major anti-aircraft roles.
The most famous and widely produced model is the 40 mm/L60 automatic gun.
A specific make of quick-firing, anti-aircraft artillery gun, originally designed by the Swedish company Bofors AB.
Bofors gun is usually technical, historical, military in register.
Bofors gun: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbəʊfɔːz ɡʌn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈboʊfɔːrz ɡʌn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none specific to this term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
BOFORS GUN: 'BO'osted 'FOR'ces 'S'afety from planes with its rapid-fire GUN.
Conceptual Metaphor
A WASP'S NEST OF FIRE - due to its rapid, buzzing rate of fire and defensive purpose.
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'Bofors gun' primarily designed to combat?