Editing Molotov cocktail (section)

== Etymology ==
[[File:Vyacheslav Molotov Anefo2.jpg|thumb|upright|Vyacheslav Molotov, 1945]]
The name "Molotov cocktail" ({{langx|fi|Molotovin cocktail}}) was coined by the [[Finns]] during the [[Winter War]] in 1939.<ref name="Ilta-Sanomat"/><ref name="kb molotov-cocktail">{{cite web |title='Molotov-cocktail' name usage in Swedish newspapers: 1940 |url=https://tidningar.kb.se/?q=Molotov%20cocktail&sort=&from=1940-01-01&to=1940-12-31 |website=tidningar.kb.se |publisher=[[National Library of Sweden|Kungliga biblioteket]] (KB) |access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="kb molotovcocktail">{{cite web |title='Molotovcocktail' name usage in Swedish newspapers: 1940 |url=https://tidningar.kb.se/?q=Molotovcocktail&sort=&from=1940-01-01&to=1940-12-31 |website=tidningar.kb.se |publisher=[[National Library of Sweden|Kungliga biblioteket]] (KB) |access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref> The name was a pejorative reference to Soviet [[foreign minister]] [[Vyacheslav Molotov]], who was one of the architects of the [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]] on the eve of [[World War II]].

The name's origin came from the [[propaganda]] Molotov produced during the Winter War, mainly his declaration on Soviet state radio that [[incendiary bomb]]ing missions over Finland were actually "airborne humanitarian food deliveries" for their "starving" neighbours.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Casselman, Bill|url=|title=Word stash|year=2017|publisher=Trafford|isbn=978-1-4907-8494-6|oclc=1007046570}}</ref><ref name="Ilta-Sanomat">{{cite web |title=Suomessa on yhä kolme aitoa Molotovin cocktailia |url=https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000001159984.html |website=is.fi |date=16 April 2016 |publisher=[[Ilta-Sanomat]] |access-date=2022-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324192849/https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000001159984.html|archive-date= 24 March 2023 }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=March 2024}} As a result, the Finns sarcastically dubbed the Soviet [[Incendiary bomb|incendiary]] [[cluster bomb]]s "[[Molotov bread basket]]s" ({{langx|fi|Molotovin leipäkori}}) in reference to Molotov's propaganda broadcasts.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Langdon-Davies |first=John |date=June 1940 |title=The Lessons of Finland |journal=[[Picture Post]] |author-link=John Langdon-Davies }}</ref><ref name="Ilta-Sanomat"/> When the hand-held bottle firebomb was developed to attack and destroy Soviet tanks, the Finns called it the "Molotov cocktail", as "a drink to go with his food parcels".<ref>''[[The Second Book of General Ignorance]]'', Faber and Faber, 2011, p. 76, {{ISBN|978-0-571-26965-5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mason |first=Emma |date=March 15, 2022 |title=What is a Molotov cocktail? |url=https://www.historyextra.com/period/modern/molotov-cocktail-history/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=History Extra |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306065236/https://www.historyextra.com/period/modern/molotov-cocktail-history/|archive-date=March 6, 2023}}</ref>

Despite the now infamous name, the formal Finnish military term for the weapon type was, and continues to be, "burn-bottle" ({{langx|fi|polttopullo}},<ref name="Ilta-Sanomat"/><ref name="Sotilaan käsikirja 2020 (fi)"/> [[Fenno-Swedish]]: ''brännflaska'').<ref name="Soldatens handbok 2020 (fi-sv)"/>

=== Other names ===
The weapon most often known as the Molotov cocktail goes under a great variety of other names around the globe. Some are more formal than others but the weapon is often given a descriptive name in the respective language.

==== Synonyms and nicknames ====
{{div col}}
*''Bottle bomb''
*''Bottle grenade''
*''Burn bottle''
*''Burning bottle''
*''Fire bomb'' (not to be confused with other [[incendiary device]]s also known as [[firebombing|firebomb]]s)
*''Fire bottle''
*''Flame bomb''
*''Flame bottle''
*''Gasoline bomb'' or ''Gas bomb'' – due to [[gasoline]] being a common filler (latter not to be confused with [[tear gas]])
*''Incendiary bottle''
*''Molly'' – abbreviation of ''Molotov cocktail'' (commonly used in video games)<ref name="csgoslang">{{cite web |title=Vad betyder CS:GO-slang? Vi förklarar termerna inom CS:GO |url=https://blog.betway.se/esport/csgo/vad-betyder-csgo-slang-vi-foerklarar-termerna-inom-csgo/ |website=blog.betway.se |access-date=2022-05-09 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601053124/https://blog.betway.se/esport/csgo/vad-betyder-csgo-slang-vi-foerklarar-termerna-inom-csgo/ }}</ref>
*''Molotov'' – abbreviation of ''Molotov cocktail''
*''Petrol bomb'' – due to [[petrol]] being a common filler, used often in Northern Ireland{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
*''Poor man's grenade'' – due to its improvised nature <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kolaitis |first1=D |title=An experimental investigation of improvised incendiary devices used in urban riots: The "Molotov cocktail" |journal=Proceedings of the 2nd IAFSS European Symposium of Fire Safety Science |date=2015 |pages=16–18 |url=https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/42796894/An_experimental_investigation_of_improvi20160218-2734-1u1no36-libre.pdf?1455794106=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DAn_experimental_investigation_of_improvi.pdf&Expires=1740775408&Signature=CLfgO-aojffqeo7fgt3qSkGjqicd3-JXBTKt5e3wMpWYMy4GyeK0aFOVOlm04sQfZQM0rMn1UWpx2zyUnUd5rHMrVySp72x6mvRg086z8bM1yov1U~UbSq6MGEc1z96CUHSjj9G-4F9mWjkINI91fQljMkTnZuwUoLaohbWcmS0LMBtBgpbwP-R59iukbi2ue1WjsxcEpXplkjPdSwL5jHR0hgFaNHAWctUtsxKITqRScEdJS3FrTdBJkjOdys6FZGBOgx9BcEluA77eHUyYF9DSV4yGkHzjKSiNNvC1xB2Vs-uD44t85WUgT0MD00IQuOeFfAeE~Ht7SGcuSvcBIw__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}
*{{langx|es-ES|ponche}} ("punch"), {{lang|es-ES|poncho}} ("poncho")<ref name="Otalora">{{cite news |last1=Otálora |first1=Óscar B de |title=El argot de la Ertzaintza: de los 'ciervos' a los 'motanos' |url=https://www.diariovasco.com/politica/201605/16/argot-ertzaintza-ciervos-motanos-20160516132508.html |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=El Diario Vasco |date=16 May 2016 |language=es-ES |quote='Ponche' o 'poncho', es el término que se emplea para referirse a los 'cócteles molotov'.}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

==== Military nomenclature ====
*{{flag|Finland}} – {{langx|fi|polttopullo}},<ref name="Ilta-Sanomat"/><ref name="Sotilaan käsikirja 2020 (fi)"/> ('burn-bottle') – [[Fenno-Swedish]]: {{lang|fi|brännflaska}}<ref name="Soldatens handbok 2020 (fi-sv)"/> ('burn-bottle')
*{{flag|Nazi Germany}} – {{langx|de|Brandflasche}} ('fire bottle') – {{lang|de|Brandhandgranate}} ('fire hand grenade')<ref name="lexikon-der-wehrmacht">{{cite web |title=Handgranaten |url=https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Waffen/handgranaten-R.htm |access-date=2022-05-10 |language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927215816/https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Waffen/handgranaten-R.htm|archive-date=September 27, 2022 }}</ref>
*{{flag|USSR}} – {{langx|ru|зажига́тельная буты́лка|zazhigátelnaya butýlka|translation=incendiary bottle}} – {{langx|ru|буты́лка с горю́чей жи́дкостью|butýlka s goryúchey zhídkostyu|translation=bottle with combustible liquid}}<ref name="Bohm">{{cite book |last1=Bohm |first1=Victor |title=Rysk-svensk militärordbok |date=1965 |publisher=Försvarsstabens utrikesavdelning |location=[[Uppsala]], [[Sweden]] |page=30 |url=https://runeberg.org/rusv1960/0034.html |access-date=2022-05-10 |language=sv }}</ref>
*{{flag|Sweden}} – {{langx|sv|brännflaska}} ('burn-bottle')<ref name="amreg A42"/><ref name="amreg A44"/><ref name="Bohm"/>
*{{flag|US}} – ''frangible grenade''<ref name="Frangible grenade">{{cite web |title=Frangible grenade |url=https://www.lexpev.nl/grenades/middleeastasia/japan/frangiblegrenade.html |website=lexpev.nl |access-date=2022-04-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927215817/https://www.lexpev.nl/grenades/middleeastasia/japan/frangiblegrenade.html|archive-date=September 27, 2022 |ref="Japanese Infantry Weapons" cincpac cincpoa Bulletin 55-45, 15 March 1945}}</ref> – ''incendiary frangible grenade''<ref name="M1 Incendiary, Frangible"/> – ''incendiary bottle grenade''<ref name="TM 9-1985-6">{{cite book |title=TM 9-1985-6 Italian and French Explosive Ordnance |date=1953 |publisher=United States. Department of the Army |page=162 |url=https://archive.org/details/TM9-1985-6/page/n165/mode/2up?q=bottle |access-date=2022-05-10 |language=en |format=Technical manual }}</ref>