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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

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

"This will include substantially reducing phosphorous discharges from wastewater treatment to rivers in special areas of conservation," a spokesman said.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2023

Wastewater disposed in large bodies of water can result in high amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous, which can drive the growth of algae blooms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2023

As word spread of this discovery, many of the New Jersey guests cried fraud, claiming that Leah had coated her hands with phosphorous before the séance.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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