bombshell

bombshell

English

Etymology

bomb +‎ shell

Pronunciation

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Noun

bombshell (plural bombshells)

1. A bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact.
2. (figuratively) Something that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational.
   • 2010, Naomi Oreskes; Erik M. Conway, chapter 5, in Merchants of Doubt:

     Singer and Jeffreys had focused their attention on cancer risk, but the bombshell of the report was the danger to children.

3. (by extension) Someone who is very attractive; a sex symbol.

   Diana Dors, the 1950s blonde bombshell

   • 2021 May 4, Ruth La Ferla, “On That Bombshell Billie Eilish Cover for British Vogue”, in The New York Times‎, ISSN 0362-4331:

     The singer once identified by her shock of green hair has gone blonde and full bombshell, swapping her trademark sweats for a style more domme than deb: pink Gucci corset and skirt over Agent Provocateur skivvies, accessorized with latex gloves and leggings.

Derived terms

• drop a bombshell

Derived terms

• blonde bombshell

Translations

a bomb or artillery shell designed to explode on impact

Belarusian: бо́мба f (bómba), знара́д m (znarád) Bulgarian: бо́мба f (bómba), снаря́д (bg) m (snarjád) French: bombe (fr) f, obus (fr) m German: Bombe (de) f, Granate (de) f (artillery), Explosivgeschoss n Greek: οβίδα (el) f (ovída) Icelandic: sprengja (is) f, sprengikúla f Italian: bomba (it) f, granata (it) f Polish: pocisk (pl) m Portuguese: bomba (pt) f, granada (pt) f Russian: бо́мба (ru) f (bómba), снаря́д (ru) m (snarjád) Spanish: bomba (es) f, bombazo m Ukrainian: бо́мба (uk) f (bómba), снаря́д m (snarjád)

something that is very surprising, shocking, amazing or sensational

Finnish: pommi (fi) French: surprise (fr) f, bombe (fr) f (colloquial) German: Bombe (de) Icelandic: óvænt atvik n, (thunder from a clear sky) þruma úr heiðskíru lofti f, stórviðburður m, æsifréttaefni n, æsifregn (is) f Italian: notizia clamorosa f Polish: sensacja (pl) f Portuguese: bomba (pt) f, sensação (pt) f Russian: сенса́ция (ru) f (sensácija), бо́мба (ru) f (bómba) Spanish: bombazo m

someone who is very attractive

Finnish: seksipommi (fi), povipommi (fi) French: bombe (fr) f (slang), avion de chasse (fr) m German: Sexbombe (de) f, Granate (de) f Greek: σεξοβόμβα f (sexovómva) Hungarian: bombázó (hu), szexbomba Icelandic: kynbomba f Irish: leadhb f, bean bhreá, spéirbhean f, stumpa m Italian: schianto (it) m Norwegian: Bokmål: sexbombe m or f Polish: seksbomba (pl) f Russian: секс-бо́мба (ru) f (sɛks-bómba) Spanish: pibón (es) m, bombón (es) m