propellant; gunpowder charge
Technical term for the chemical substance that propels a projectile from a firearm or a rocket. Used in military, engineering, and firearms contexts.
The muzzle velocity of the bullet changes depending on the type of propellant.
Solid fuel is often used as the propellant for rockets.
Compound of 発射 (firing, launching) and 薬 (chemical agent, powder). The term is a straightforward technical coinage from the late 19th to early 20th century, when modern firearms terminology was standardized in Japanese.