death cap

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A potentially dangerous capacitor on the primary side of the power transformer in a guitar amp.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “death cap” mean?

A potentially dangerous capacitor on the primary side of the power transformer in a guitar amp.

Is “death cap” formal or informal?

death cap is generally slang.