landmine
UK[ˈlændmaɪn]US[ˈlændmaɪn]
n
An explosive device placed in or on the ground, designed to be detonated by the pressure, proximity, or contact of a person or vehicle.
Morpheme Breakdown
land
mine
land
ground
mine
explosive device
Etymology
The word 'landmine' is a transparent compound formed from two English nouns: 'land' and 'mine'. 'Land', from Old English, has always denoted the solid part of the earth's surface. 'Mine' entered English from French in the military context of tunneling under enemy positions to plant explosives, a sense derived from the Old French verb 'miner', meaning 'to dig'. By the early 20th century, as warfare technology evolved, 'mine' generalized to any concealed explosive device. The compound 'landmine' logically emerged to specify a 'mine' designed for use on or under the 'land', as opposed to naval mines used at sea, creating a clear and functional descriptor for this devastating weapon.
Analysis
Structure: land (ground) + mine (explosive device)
land: Old English origin, meaning 'ground, soil, territory'. In this compound, it specifies the location.
mine: From Middle French 'mine', referring an explosive device placed underground to destroy fortifications. In this compound, it specifies the object's function.
Examples
The path was cleared of landmines before the refugees could return.
Decades after the war, unexploded landmines still pose a serious threat to civilians.
International treaties seek to ban the production and use of anti-personnel landmines.