gunpowder
n.a dry powder that explodes when it is lit. It is used in things like fireworks and bullets.
n.an explosive mixture of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal. Historically significant as the first chemical explosive used in firearms and artillery.
“The ancient recipe for gunpowder changed the history of war.”
“The fireworks display relies on carefully measured amounts of gunpowder to launch the shells high into the night sky.”
“The invention of gunpowder in China eventually transformed global military strategy, rendering traditional stone fortifications vulnerable to the sustained power of heavy artillery.”
“Seat of the Tsugaru clan, the castle was completed in 1611 but the original keep burned down after a lightning strike ignited a gunpowder store in 1627.”
“Bushnell started experimenting with gunpowder while enrolled at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.”
From gun + powder.
Possibly due to its smell resembling gunpowder during the British Raj.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.