1. Plural of guncotton; a highly explosive substance made by treating cotton or other cellulose with nitric acid, used historically in ammunition and explosives.
Usage: technical; historical; chemistry

Examples

• Guncottons were developed in the 19th century as a more powerful alternative to gunpowder.
• The chemist studied the properties of various guncottons for military applications.
• Early explosives manufacturers experimented with guncottons to improve ammunition performance.
• Guncottons require careful handling due to their extreme sensitivity and instability.
• The invention of guncottons revolutionized weapons technology in the late 1800s.