1. Plural of ignitron; electronic devices (mercury-pool rectifier tubes) used to convert alternating current to direct current, commonly employed in industrial power applications and welding equipment.
Usage: technical; electronics; largely historical; largely replaced by modern semiconductor devices

Examples

• The old welding machine relied on ignitrons to convert AC power to DC.
• Ignitrons were essential components in mid-20th-century industrial rectification systems.
• Engineers replaced the ignitrons with modern solid-state rectifiers for improved efficiency.
• The ignitrons in the power supply required regular maintenance and cooling.
• Ignitrons could handle high currents that early semiconductor devices could not manage.