Krutdrivna

Krutdrivna is a Swedish term used to describe devices, weapons, or mechanisms that are propelled or powered by gunpowder. The word is formed from krut (gunpowder) and drivna (driven), with the latter from driva (to drive). As an adjective, krutdrivna typically modifies a noun in plural form, for example krutdrivna kanoner or krutdrivna vapen. The construction is common in historical and technical writing and is mainly encountered in discussions of early modern warfare and weapon technology.

In practice, krutdrivna is associated with artillery, small arms, and other mechanisms where the rapid combustion of gunpowder provides thrust or propulsion. The term encompasses cannons, mortars, muskets, and propulsive devices that rely on gunpowder rather than other fuels. It can also be used more broadly to describe experimental or industrial equipment that used gunpowder for operation.

Modern usage is largely historical or descriptive; in contemporary Swedish one would more often specify the mechanism, such as “kanon som drivs av krut” or provide a direct translation like “powder-propelled.” The term is thus a historical linguistic marker rather than a technical category in current engineering practice. See also: gunpowder, artillery, firearms, early modern weaponry, propulsion.