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Suppressor: meaning, definitions and examples

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suppressor

 

[ səˈpresər ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

firearms

A suppressor is a device attached to the muzzle of a firearm to reduce the noise emitted when the gun is fired. Suppressors are also known as silencers and work by trapping the expanding gases from the fired round and allowing them to cool off before being released into the atmosphere.

Synonyms

moderator, muffler, silencer

Examples of usage

  • Many shooters use suppressors to protect their hearing.
  • Using a suppressor can also reduce recoil and muzzle flash.
Context #2 | Noun

biology

In biology, a suppressor refers to a gene that suppresses the effect of another gene. This can result in the inhibition of a specific trait or phenotype.

Synonyms

blocker, inhibitor, repressor

Examples of usage

  • The suppressor gene helped to suppress the expression of the mutated gene.

Translations

Translations of the word "suppressor" in other languages:

🇵🇹 supressor

🇮🇳 दमनकर्ता

🇩🇪 Unterdrücker

🇮🇩 penekan

🇺🇦 пригнічувач

🇵🇱 tłumik

🇯🇵 抑圧者 (yokuatsu-sha)

🇫🇷 suppressor

🇪🇸 supresor

🇹🇷 bastırıcı

🇰🇷 억제기 (eokjeggi)

🇸🇦 قامع

🇨🇿 potlačovatel

🇸🇰 potlačovateľ

🇨🇳 抑制器 (yìzhì qì)

🇸🇮 supresor

🇮🇸 bælandi

🇰🇿 басуыш

🇬🇪 დამთრგუნველი

🇦🇿 basdırıcı

🇲🇽 supresor

Word origin

The term 'suppressor' originates from the verb 'suppress', which comes from the Latin word 'suppressus', past participle of 'supprimere', meaning 'to press down'. The use of suppressors in firearms dates back to the early 20th century, with the aim of reducing noise and muzzle flash. In biology, the concept of suppressor genes was first introduced in the mid-20th century to explain the phenomenon of gene suppression.

See also: suppress, suppressant, suppressed, suppressing, suppression.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,060, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.