silencer

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   British: a device in a vehicle exhaust system that reduces engine noise

   The motorcycle sounded harsh after its silencer was removed.

2. 2
   noun

   a device attached to a firearm muzzle to reduce the sound and visible flash of firing

   The firearm was fitted with a silencer, though the shot was still audible.

3. 3
   noun

   any device or influence that makes something quieter or stops expression

   The thick curtain acted as a silencer for noise from the street.

Formed from silence + -er. The word has been applied to devices that reduce sound in engines, firearms, musical instruments, and machinery. In firearms terminology suppressor is often preferred because the device reduces rather than eliminates the report.

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