transistor

B2 Topic:Physics

US /tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ/ See IPA manual

Freq #31357

Meanings

1

noun
A small electronic part used in devices to control or boost electrical signals.

Modern computer chips contain billions of tiny transistors.
2

noun
A small portable radio.

My grandfather still listens to the news on his old transistor.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a small electronic part... junction transistor

Word family

Forms transistors

Derived forms fetpost-transistortfttransistorizetransistorizedujt

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

junction transistor
a transistor whose operation depends on junctions between different semiconductor regions

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Transistor was coined in the mid-20th century by blending transfer with resistor.

Etymology

Blend of transfer + resistor. Said to have been coined by American engineer John Robinson Pierce in 1947, who used transresistance as the basis for forming transistor.

Topics

Physics General Vocabulary

External links

# transistor

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ/
**Frequency rank:** 31357

## Meanings
1. A small electronic part used in devices to control or boost electrical signals.
2. A small portable radio.

## Examples
- Modern computer chips contain billions of tiny transistors.
- My grandfather still listens to the news on his old transistor.

## Derived Forms
- fet
- post-transistor
- tft
- transistorize
- transistorized
- ujt

## Etymology
Blend of transfer + resistor. Said to have been coined by American engineer John Robinson Pierce in 1947, who used transresistance as the basis for forming transistor.

## AI Etymology
Transistor is a blend of transfer + resistor. Said to have been coined by American engineer John Robinson Pierce in 1947, who used transresistance as the basis for forming transistor. In present-day use, it can mean a small electronic part used in devices to control or boost electrical signals, or a small portable radio. Derived formations include fet, post-transistor, tft, transistorize, transistorized, ujt.

## Topics
- Physics
- General Vocabulary

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