Electron tubes are also commonly known as vacuum tubes, thermionic valves, or simply just tubes. These synonyms come from the fact that these devices use a vacuum to control the flow of electrons between electrodes. Thermionic valves refer to the fact that the electrons are emitted from a heated cathode, while vacuum tubes and just tubes describe the vacuum-sealed structure of the device. Other lesser-known synonyms include discharge tubes, electron valves, and electron discharge devices. These terms are used interchangeably with electron tubes in different fields of study, such as electronics, physics, and telecommunications. Regardless of the terminology used, electron tubes remain an important technology that paved the way for modern electronic devices.