What does "shrapnel" mean?

Shrapnel: Applied as an appellation to a kind of shell invented by Gen. H. Shrapnel of the British army. -- n. A shrapnel shell; shrapnel shells, collectively. Shrapnel shell (Gunnery), a projectile for a cannon, consisting of a shell filled with bullets and a small bursting charge to scatter them at any given point while in flight. See the Note under Case shot.