-tron, -tronic, -tronics +

(Greek: a suffix referring to a device, tool, or instrument; more generally, used in the names of any kind of chamber or apparatus used in experiments)


A possible allusion to the Greek instrumental suffix, as in árotron, "plow" as spelled in the U.S. or "plough", as spelled by the British; from the Greek stem aroun, "to plow".

The suffix -tron is the result of the combining form extracted from electron, used with nouns or combining forms, principally in the names of electron tubes (ignitron; klystron; magnetron) and of devices for accelerating subatomic particles (cosmotron; cyclotron); also, more generally, in the names of any kind of chamber or apparatus used in experiments (biotron).

electronic control, electronic regulation
1. The control of a machine or a process by circuits using electron tubes, transistors, magnetic amplifiers, or other devices having related functions.
2. The control of a machine or condition by electronic devices.
electronic controller
1. An electronic device incorporating vacuum tubes or solid-state devices that are used to control the actions or positions of equipment; for example, a valve operator.
2. An electric controller in which some or all of the basic functions are performed by electron appliances.
electronic cottage
1. A house, usually in the country, equipped with computers, etc. so people can work there without having to travel to a regular company office.
2. A situation in which employees use their home computer terminals and communicate with a central office and other workers who are in a regular working environment or with other home employees.
electronic counter, electronic tachometer
1. An instrument that uses electronic elements to count the number of pulses (short durations of electrical current flows) applied to it.
2. An electronic circuit using electron tubes or equivalent devices for counting electric pulses or transient sharp changes in voltage, currents, or some other normally constant quantities in an electronic system.
3. An instrument capable of counting up to several million electrical pulses per second.
electronic counter-countermeasures, electronic counter countermeasures, ECCM
1. A division of electronic warfare in which actions are taken to ensure friendly, effective use of electromagnetic radiations or wavelengths in spite of an enemy's use of electronic countermeasures.
2. Efforts made to ensure effective use of electromagnetic radiation in spite of the use of countermeasures by an enemy.
3. Retaliatory tactics used to reduce the effectiveness of electronic countermeasures.
electronic countermeasure, ECM, electronic countermeasures; electromagnetic countermeasure, electromagnetic countermeasures, ECM
1. A division of electronic warfare in which actions are taken to interfere with a military enemy's use of the electromagnetic or a range of electromagnetic radiation or waves, used in military air defenses and interceptions.
2. The disruption of the operation of a military enemy's equipment; as by jamming radio or radar signals.
3. A military offensive or defensive tactic or device using electronic and reflecting apparatuses (apparatus or systems allowing certain functions) to reduce the military effectiveness of enemy equipment involving electromagnetic radiation; such as, guidance, radar, communication, or other radio-wave devices.
Electronic Data Interchange, EDI
A method by which two or more autonomous computer systems exchange computer-readable transaction data.

It is possible even when the computers use different operating systems and it is the key factor in achieving automated medical records that can be shared electronically among providers.

electronic data processing, EDP; automatic data processing, data processing, information processing
1. Automatic data processing by electronic means without the use of tabulating cards or punched tapes.
2. The processing data by using equipment which is predominantly electronic in nature; such as, an electronic digital computer in recording, classifying, summarizing, and manipulating data.
3. The use of electronic memories to store, to up-date, and to read information automatically, and using that information in accounting, filing, etc.; including any computerized information system and the equipment used in that system.
4. Any data processing that is done primarily on electronic equipment.

It usually refers to data which is performed and processed on digital computers.

electronic data-processing management science, electronic data processing management science
1. In computer science, a study or occupation that deals with a class of management problems that can be processed with computer programs.
2. The field of computer processing that deals with a class of management problems which can be utilized by a computer system.
electronic data-processing system, electronic data processing system
1. A process consisting of electronic and other equipment that is used for high-speed data procedures.
2. A method used for data processing by means of machines using electronic circuitry at electronic speed, as opposed to electromechanical equipment.
3. Any machine or group of automatically intercommunicating machines that are capable of entering, receiving, sorting, classifying, computing and/or recording alphabetical or numerical accounting or statistical data without the use of tabulating cards.
electronic deception, electronic imitative deception, electronic manipulative deception
1. An electronic countermeasure that is the deliberate radiation, re-radiation, alteration, suppression, absorption, denial, enhancement, or reflection of electromagnetic energy in a system intended to convey misleading information and to deny valid information to a military enemy or to enemy electronics-dependent weapons.
2. Radiation or re-radiation of electromagnetic waves in a system intended to mislead a military enemy in the interpretation of data received by the enemy's electronic equipment.
3. A deliberate procedure designed to mislead an enemy in the interpretation or the use of information received by its electronic systems.
electronic defense evaluation
1. A procedure in which a pilot uses electronic countermeasures to penetrate an area that is monitored by radar.

The process is designed to determine the effectiveness of both radar and aircraft.

2. A mutual evaluation of radar and aircraft, with the aircraft trying to penetrate the radar's area of coverage in an electronic countermeasure environment.
electronic dental anesthesia, EDA
In dentistry, the use of low levels of electric current to block pain signals en route to the brain.

The patient controls the current through a hand-held box. The current creates no discomfort and, unlike local anesthesia, the patient does not have to wait for the numbness to go away once the dental work is completed.

electronic display
1. An electronic part which converts electromagnetic signals into a visible display.
2. An electronic component which converts electric signals into visual imagery in real time that is suitable for direct interpretations by a human operator.
electronic distance measuring equipment, electronic distance-measuring equipment
A navigation system consisting of airborne devices which transmit microsecond pulses to special ground beacons and that retransmit the signals to an aircraft.

The length of expired time between a transmission and a reception is measured, converted to kilometers or miles, and presented to a pilot of an aircraft.