noun
percussion
Ignition of a firearm or explosive by a blow.
This antique rifle uses percussion to ignite its powder charge.
Etymology
The ancestor means striking or a blow. In ignition, that literal blow triggers the sensitive material that starts the firing process.
More examples
- The museum displays a pistol with a percussion lock.
- Percussion replaced flint and steel in many nineteenth-century firearms.
- The explosive charge is designed for ignition by percussion.
Similar words
- ignition
- Ignition includes starting combustion by heat, sparks, or impact.