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Glite Dictionary
robot bomb

robot bomb

7.8
A missile with wings and a jet engine that carries explosives to a target without a person on board
  • noun
  • /ˈroʊbɒt bɑm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : bomba robot
  • During World War II, London was attacked repeatedly by the German robot bombs.

Examples

  • Allied forces developed new defenses to intercept the incoming robot bombs before they reached their targets.

  • The museum has a display featuring an early robot bomb and its guidance system.

  • The military deployed a robot bomb to target enemy positions.

  • Many robot bombs were used during the conflict.

  • Allied forces developed new defenses to intercept the incoming robot bombs before they reached their targets.

  • During World War II, London was attacked repeatedly by the German robot bombs.

  • The military deployed a robot bomb to target enemy positions.

Synonyms

cruise missile
vsrobot bomb
  • Specialized
55 6.3

A flying, unmanned weapon that carries a bomb to a distant target with high accuracy

is the general jet-delivered explosive type without emphasis on long range or precision
V-1
vsrobot bomb
1 9.9

A German flying bomb used in World War II to attack cities

is the broader class of similar unmanned jet missiles rather than one model
buzz bomb
vsrobot bomb
  • Archaic
1 9.4

A small jet-powered flying bomb used by Germany in World War II to attack cities

is the neutral general term without historical or national association
flying bomb
vsrobot bomb
  • Archaic
1 7.9

A small flying machine with wings that carries a bomb to a target

is the general category for that kind of jet-delivered explosive device
doodlebug
vsrobot bomb
  • Archaic
9.9

A small jet-powered flying bomb used by Germany in World War Two

is the general unmanned missile type not limited to that nickname

Surface Forms

robot bomb singular
robot bombs plural

Morphology

robot + bomb

The basic meaning — a bombing device that is robotic or unmanned — is directly and compositionally derived from 'robot' (an autonomous machine) + 'bomb' (an explosive device). A B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the general concept even if technical specifics (jet‑propelled, wings) are new; this noun‑noun compounding follows common, cross‑linguistic patterns.

Etymology

Robot bomb comes from early flying weapons in war that moved on their own. People used robot to show the machine had no person on board and bomb because it carried explosives, so today the name means 'an unmanned weapon that carries explosives'.