fər, -fɔr1625–35; < Latin Phōsphorus < Greek Phōsphóros the morning star, literally, the light-bringing one, equivalent to phôs light + -phoros bringing; see -phorous
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
phosphor-
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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phosphor (ˈfɒsfə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| a substance, such as the coating on a cathode-ray tube, capable of emitting light when irradiated with particles or electromagnetic radiation | |
| [C17: from French, ultimately from Greek phōsphoros | |
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phosphor- pref.
Variant of phosphoro-.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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phosphor  (fŏs'fər) Pronunciation Key
Any of various substances that can emit light after absorbing some form of radiation. Television screens and fluorescent lamp tubes are coated on the inside with phosphors. See Note at cathode-ray tube. |
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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phosphor
solid material that emits light, or luminesces, when exposed to radiation such as ultraviolet light or an electron beam. Hundreds of thousands of phosphors have been synthesized, each one having its own characteristic colour of emission and period of time during which light is emitted after excitation ceases. When certain phosphors luminesce from electron excitation, the process is called electroluminescence, and these phosphors are used in the production of television screens and computer monitors. Phosphors excited by ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation are used principally in the so-called fluorescent lamps commonly employed for general illumination
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