- a substance, such as the coating on a cathode-ray tube, capable of emitting light when irradiated with particles or electromagnetic radiation
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
phos•phor
(fos′fər, -fôr),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
Phos•phor (fos′fər, -fôr),USA pronunciation n.
phosphor-,
- Physics, Chemistryany of a number of substances that exhibit luminescence when struck by light of certain wavelengths, as by ultraviolet.
- [Literary.]a phosphorescent substance.
adj.
- [Archaic.]phosphorescent.
- Latin Phōsphorus Phosphor
- French phosphore
- 1625–35
Phos•phor (fos′fər, -fôr),USA pronunciation n.
- Astronomythe morning star, esp. Venus.
- Greek Phōsphóros the morning star, literally, the light-bringing one, equivalent. to phôs light + -phoros bringing; see -phorous
- Latin Phōsphorus
- 1625–35
phosphor-,
- Chemistryvar. of phosphoro- before a vowel:phosphorate.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
phosphor /ˈfɒsfə/ n
phosphoro-,
- Chemistrya combining form representing phosphorus in compound words:phosphoroscope.
'phosphor' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bronze
- europium
- fluorescent lamp
- fluorometer
- phosphor bronze
- phosphorus
- scintillation counter
- electroluminescence
- luminous paint
- panel lighting
- phosphorate
- phosphoresce
- phosphorescent
- phosphoric
- phosphoric acid
- phosphoric anhydride
- phosphorism
- phosphorite
- phosphorize
- phosphoro-
- phosphorous
- phosphorylase
- phosphorylate
- phosphoryl group
- triphosphoric acid
- zinc sulfide
- scintillate
- scintillation
- scintillator
- shadow mask