Cyclonite

/ˈsaɪ.kloʊ.naɪt/ noun

Definition

A type of high explosive chemical compound used in military and industrial applications, also known as RDX or cyclohexanitrate.

Etymology

From cyclone + -ite (a suffix for minerals and chemical compounds). Despite its name suggesting a storm-related origin, the name actually derives from its complex ring-shaped molecular structure rotating in a circular pattern.

Kelly Says

Cyclonite is one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosives ever created, and it's actually still used in detonators and ammunition—its name misleadingly suggests weather rather than chemistry.

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