English

Noun

energy weapon ‎(plural energy weapons)

1. A weapon that fires a beam or pulse of energy instead of a projectile.
   • 1941 July, van Vogt, Alfred Elton, “The Seesaw”, in Astounding Science Fiction, volume 27, number 5, page 60:

     The window display was made up of an assortment of rather curiously shaped guns, rifles as well as small arms; and a glowing sign in the window stated: THE FINEST ENERGY WEAPONS IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE.

Synonyms

• ray gun (informal)

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-530567-8, page 51