frag
UK[fræɡ]US[fræɡ]
v
To deliberately kill or injure a superior officer or fellow soldier, especially with a grenade or other explosive device.
n
An act or instance of fragging.
Etymology
The term "frag" is a Vietnam War-era military slang, originating as a clipped form of "fragmentation grenade." Its specific, grim meaning—the intentional use of such a weapon against one's own commanding officer—arose from the context of soldier dissent and the availability of these grenades. The logic of the term is brutally direct: the weapon gives the action its name. From this concrete military origin, the word was later adopted into video game jargon, particularly first-person shooters, where "to frag" broadly means to defeat or kill an opponent, thus generalizing the original violent act into a term for virtual elimination.
Analysis
The word is a simplex, a clipped form of the longer word "fragmentation grenade." It is not composed of productive morphemes in its current form.
Examples
During the war, there were several reported incidents of disgruntled soldiers attempting to frag their lieutenant.
The court-martial was convened to investigate the alleged frag attempt in the barracks.
In the final seconds of the match, he managed to frag the entire enemy team to secure victory.