May 15, 2003

firebottle

n.obs.

A large, primitive, power-hungry active electrical device, similar in function to a FET but constructed out of glass, metal, and vacuum. Characterized by high cost, low density, low reliability, high-temperature operation, and high power dissipation. Sometimes mistakenly called a tube in the U.S. or a valve in England; another hackish term is glassfet.

Posted by Jargon File at May 15, 2003 10:48 AM

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