KRYTRON

noun (Science and Technology) (War and Weaponry) A kind of high-speed, solid-state switching device that is used in the detonation of nuclear weapons. Etymology: The derivation of the word is uncertain: the -tron element is almost certainly taken from electronic; the kryo could be a partial respelling of cryo-, or part of the word krypton. History and Usage: The krytron first appeared in technical literature in the early seventies and would no doubt have remained limited to technical use but for an incident in early 1990, when it appeared that American-made krytrons had been obtained by President Saddam Hussein of Iraq and a political scandal ensued. For a short time the word was prominent in the media. Some forms of krytron can be bought commercially...The order aroused CSI's suspicions because it required krytrons of a specification which could only have a military use. The Times 30 Mar. 1990, p. 9