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Showing results for phosphorous. Search instead for phosphorolysis.

phosphorous

American  
[fos-fer-uhs, fos-fawr-uhs, -fohr-] / ˈfɒs fər əs, fɒsˈfɔr əs, -ˈfoʊr- /

adjective

Chemistry.
  1. containing trivalent phosphorus.


phosphorous British  
/ ˈfɒsfərəs /

adjective

  1. of or containing phosphorus in the trivalent state

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of phosphorous

First recorded in 1770–80; phosphor- + -ous


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

In healthy soils, these fungal networks can expand the effective foraging area of plant roots by up to 100 times and provide > 80 percent of a plant's phosphorous needs.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 15, 2026

Fertilisers – like chicken manure - add additional nutrients like phosphorous and nitrogen to rivers.

From BBC ● May 24, 2024

Molasses is naturally rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and vitamin B6.

From Salon ● Dec. 12, 2023

White phosphorous is considered an incendiary weapon under Protocol III of the Convention on the Prohibition of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons.

From Reuters ● Oct. 12, 2023

Each time, her hands were examined, judged clean, plunged into sealed boxes of dirt; and found to produce solid phosphorous granules.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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