varactor

[ vuh-rak-ter ]

/ vəˈræk tər /

noun

a semiconductor diode whose capacitance changes to match applied voltage, used to tune circuits by varying the reactance.

Nearby words

vaquero, vaquez disease, var, var., vara, varactor, varah, varanasi, varangian, varangians, vardar

Origin of varactor

1955–60; var(iable re)actor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for varactor

varactor

/ (ˈvɛəˌræktə) /

noun

a semiconductor diode that acts as a voltage-dependent capacitor, being operated with a reverse biasCompare varistor

Word Origin for varactor

C20: probably a blend of variable reactor

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