Other forms: weapons
A weapon is anything made or used for fighting and hurting. A deadly weapon, carry a weapon, weapons of war.
In law it covers both things designed for it and ordinary objects used that way — an offensive weapon can be a bottle, depending entirely on intent. Weapons-grade describes material pure enough for a nuclear device, and is used jokingly for anything extreme. Figuratively a weapon is any means of winning: her best weapon was patience. Note weaponise, which is newer and now used of almost anything.
1nounweaponAnything made or used for fighting and hurting.
“The police found the weapon, a kitchen knife, hidden in the garden.”
2nounmeansAny means of winning or gaining advantage.
“Humour was her best weapon against the bullies.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
weapon is an instrument of harm.
Old English waepn is Germanic with no certain earlier source, one of a small group of very old words whose history simply stops. Weapon and the German Waffe are the same word.
Middle English
wepen
English, today
weapon
From Middle English wepen. From Middle English wepen, from Old English wǣpn, from Proto-West Germanic wāpn, from Proto-Germanic wēpną (“weapon”), of unknown origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European wēbnom. 2
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA