Laukaisun

Laukaisun is the genitive form of the Finnish noun laukaisu, which denotes the act of discharging a firearm or of triggering a mechanism, and more generally the initiation of a process or event. The term is used in both literal and figurative contexts and appears in technical, legal, military, and everyday language.

In firearms, laukaisu refers to the discharge that occurs when a weapon is fired. The process typically starts when the trigger is pulled, causing the hammer or firing pin to strike the cartridge primer, ignite the propellant, and propel the bullet. The noun can denote either the discharge itself or the moment at which the firing occurs. In safety and regulatory discussions, references to laukaisun risk, responsibility, and permissible use are common.

Beyond weapons, laukaisu is used to describe the initiation or triggering of a sequence or reaction in machinery, electronics, or software. For example, a system or device may be set to laukaista a process automatically, or to respond to a triggering event. Related terms include laukaisin, meaning the trigger or triggering component, and the verb laukaista, meaning to trigger or to discharge.

Etymology: laukaisu derives from the verb laukaista, with laukaisu serving as the nominal form for the act of triggering or firing. The genitive form laukaisun is used in phrases such as “laukaisun jälkeen” (after the firing) or “laukaisun vaikutus” (the effect of the discharge).