phosphorous

English

Etymology

From phosphorus +‎ -ous.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophone: phosphorus

Adjective

phosphorous (not comparable)

1. (chemistry) Of or pertaining to phosphorus.

   Synonym: phosphoric

2. Resembling phosphorus.

   Synonym: phosphoric

3. (chemistry) Of, relating to, or containing trivalent phosphorus.

Usage notes

• Do not confuse phosphorous (adjective) with phosphorus (noun).

Derived terms

• hypophosphorous
• hypophosphorous acid
• nonphosphorous
• phosphite
• phosphorous acid
• phosphorous anhydride
• phosphorous chloride
• sulphophosphorous

Related terms

• phosphoric
• phosphorus

Translations

of or pertaining to phosphorus

Bulgarian: фосфорен (fosforen) Catalan: fosforós m Danish: fosforholdig French: phosphoreux (fr), phosphorique (fr), phosphorescent (fr) m, phosphorescente (fr) f Portuguese: fosforoso m

resembling phosphorus

Danish: fosforlignende French: phosphoreux (fr), phosphorique (fr), phosphorescent (fr) m, phosphorescente (fr) f

of, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus

Bulgarian: съдържащ тривалентен фосфор (sǎdǎržašt trivalenten fosfor) Danish: fosforsyrlig Dutch: fosforig French: phosphoreux (fr), phosphorique (fr), phosphorescent (fr) m, phosphorescente (fr) f Italian: fosforoso (it) m

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

French: (please verify) phosphorique (fr)

See also

• phosphoric

Noun

phosphorous (uncountable)

1. (proscribed) Misspelling of phosphorus.
   • 1991 April 6, Steve Rose, “A Human Drama”, in Gay Community News, page 5:

     As a former civilian resident of west Beirut, bombed with American-made phosphorous and cluster bombs by the Israelis, I am outraged by this.