Definition of Phosphorus in English :

Define Phosphorus in English

Phosphorus meaning in English

Meaning of Phosphorus in English

Pronunciation of Phosphorus in English

Phosphorus pronunciation in English

Pronounce Phosphorus in English

Phosphorus

see synonyms of phosphorus

Noun

1. atomic number 15, p, phosphorus

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

2. daystar, lucifer, morning star, phosphorus

a planet (usually Venus) seen just before sunrise in the eastern sky

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.


Phosphorus

see synonyms of phosphorus
noun
1. 
an allotropic nonmetallic element occurring in phosphates and living matter. Ordinary phosphorus is a toxic flammable phosphorescent white solid; the red form is less reactive and nontoxic: used in matches, pesticides, and alloys. The radioisotope phosphorus-32 (radiophosphorus), with a half-life of 14.3 days, is used in radiotherapy and as a tracer. Symbol: P; atomic no: 15; atomic wt: 30.973 762; valency: 3 or 5; relative density: 1.82 (white), 2.20 (red); melting pt: 44.1°C (white); boiling pt: 280°C (white)
2. Word forms: plural phosphori (-rai) a less common name for a phosphor
noun
a morning star, esp Venus

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers


Phosphorus

see synonyms of phosphorus
noun
1.  Archaic
any phosphorescent substance or object
2. 
a nonmetallic chemical element, normally a white, phosphorescent, waxy solid, becoming yellow when exposed to light: it is poisonous and unites easily with oxygen, so that it ignites spontaneously at room temperature: when heated in sealed tubes it is converted into a red form, which is nonpoisonous and less flammable than the white: when heated under a pressure of 10,000 atmospheres it is converted into a black powder: symbol, P; at. no., 15: a radioactive isotope (phosphorus-32) is used in the diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases, as a tracer in chemical and biochemical research, etc.
see the periodic table of elements in the Reference Supplement

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.


Phosphorus

see synonyms of phosphorus
n.
1. Symbol P A highly reactive, poisonous, nonmetallic element occurring naturally in phosphates, especially apatite, and existing in three allotropic forms, white (or sometimes yellow), red, and black (or violet). An essential element for biological cells, it is used in safety matches, pyrotechnics, incendiary shells, and fertilizers and to protect metal surfaces from corrosion. Atomic number 15; atomic weight 30.9738; melting point (white) 44.15°C; boiling point 280.5°C; specific gravity (white) 1.82, (red) 2.16, (black) 2.25 to 2.69; valence 3, 4, 5. See Periodic Table.
2. A phosphorescent substance.
3. Phosphorus Astronomy See Lucifer.

The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.