In the sense of a military weapon, a conventional weapon is one which does not employ any of the NBC triad (or, as Neal Stephenson puts it, NBCI quad) for its destructive effect. This typically leaves high explosive, low explosive or kinetic energy - or a combination thereof - as the destructive agent.

Just in case, the NBC triad is Nuclear-Biological-Chemical. Neal's version includes Informational - like computer virii.

C - The Conventional Type

This type is one of Holland's Vocational Personality Types. The Conventional type can be described by the following characteristics:

Adjectives

conformist, conscientious, conservative, conventional, dependable, disciplined, inhibited, methodical, neat, obedient, persistent, practical, self-controlled (calm), stable, unimaginative

Preferences & Values

• activities that require explicit, methodical and systematic data manipulation
• organization of written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan,
• reproduction of material,
• highly ordered activities (both verbal and numerical) that characterize office work
• operation of office equipment in order to achieve organizational and economic goals
• the economic
• working in a well-established chain of command
• knowing precisely what is expected of them
• material possessions and status

Dislikes

• ambiguous situations
• problems requiring physical skills or intense relationships with others
• leadership positions

Aptitudes

• office work and arithmetic
• fit well into large organizations
• effective at well-defined tasks
• bookkeeping and classification

Common Vocational Choices

accountant, bank employee, bank examiner, bank teller, bookkeeper, business, computer operator, cost appraiser, financial analyst, inventory controller, investment analyst, statistician, stenographer, tax specialist, traffic manager

Negative Traits

• no artistic talent
• aversion for ambiguous, free, exploratory and non-systematic activities.

Con*ven"tion*al (?), a. [L. conventionalis: cf. F. conventionnel.]

1.

Formed by agreement or compact; stipulated.

Conventional services reserved by tenures upon grants, made out of the crown or knights' service. Sir M. Hale.

2.

Growing out of, or depending on, custom or tacit agreement; sanctioned by general concurrence or usage; formal.

"Conventional decorum."

Whewell.

The conventional language appropriated to monarchs. Motley.

The ordinary salutations, and other points of social behavior, are conventional. Latham.

3. Fine Arts (a)

Based upon tradition, whether religious and historical or of artistic rules.

(b)

Abstracted; removed from close representation of nature by the deliberate selection of what is to be represented and what is to be rejected; as, a conventional flower; a conventional shell. Cf. Conventionalize, v. t.

 

© Webster 1913.