dumdum

The term "dumdum" has several meanings, primarily referring to a type of bullet and a historical location.

In the context of ammunition, a dumdum bullet is a type of expanding bullet designed to mushroom or flatten upon impact, increasing its wound channel. These bullets were developed in the late 19th century at the Dum Dum Arsenal near Calcutta, India. The original design was a jacketed bullet with the tip exposed. While effective in stopping targets, dumdum bullets have been criticized for causing excessive damage and are restricted in warfare under international conventions such as the Hague Conventions of 1899. The term "dumdum" is often used colloquially to refer to any expanding bullet, regardless of its specific design.

Historically, Dum Dum also referred to a town in West Bengal, India, where the arsenal was located. The Dum Dum Airport (now Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport) is also a significant landmark in the area. The name "dumdum" itself is believed to originate from the Bengali words "dúm" meaning "hollow" and "dúm" meaning "sound," possibly referring to the sound of cannons or drums.