phosphorousadj.
/ˈfɒsf(ə)rəs/, U.S. /ˈfɑsf(ə)rəs/ 1. Relating to or of the nature of a phosphor; phosphorescent. In later use chiefly literary.
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the world > matter > light > light emitted under particular conditions > [adjective] > phosphorescent
night-shining1598
noctilucous1680
noctilucal1682
noctilucent1691
phosphorous1717
self-luminous1751
phosphorescent1767
phosphoric1771
phosphoreous1776
phosphor1790
phosphorescing1794
phosphoretic1794
phosphorent1819
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > light > intensity of light, luminosity > [adjective] > phosphorescent
phosphorous1717
phosphorescent1767
phosphoric1771
phosphoreous1776
phosphorescing1794
phosphoretic1794
phosphorc1820
the world > matter > chemistry > elements and compounds > metals > specific elements > phosphorus > [adjective] > compounds
phosphorous1717
phosphuretted1803
phosphatic1818
phosphonitrilic1895
1717 Philos. Trans. 1714–16 (Royal Soc.) 29 483 I am of your opinion, that those phosphorous or luminous appearances in the firmament, proceed from the various effluvia perspir'd out of our globe.
1777 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. (ed. 4, quarto) IV. vi. 59 Their phosphorous quality is well known; nor was it overlooked by the antients.
1883 Harper's Mag. Jan. 185/2 MM. Edoux and Soulezet collected some of the phosphorous substance.
1937 L. Ginsberg Hounds of Soul in Everlasting Minute 128 Those grim, implacable hounds have eyes of baleful fire, Like eerie, phosphorous lights that glimmer and flicker and dart.
2002 R. Argus in L. Purcell Black Chicks Talking 319 It's a little light, it's little insects in the water. Phosphorous lights.
2. Chemistry. Of or relating to the element phosphorus; containing phosphorus, esp. in its lower common valency (3). Cf. phosphoric adj. 1.Recorded earliest in phosphorous acid n. at Compounds.
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1788 J. St. John tr. L. B. Guyton de Morveau et al. Method Chym. Nomencl. 62 We denominate them sulphureous, acetous, and phosphorous acids.
1857 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 147 160 The preparations made with phosphorus dissolved in sulphide of carbon, are more ruby than those where ether is the phosphorous solvent.
1950 N. V. Sidgwick Chem. Elements I. 736 Phosphorous Oxide, P4O6.
Compounds
phosphorous acid n. Chemistry an oxyacid containing trivalent phosphorus; (usually) spec. a colourless, crystalline, dibasic acid, HPO(OH)2 (cf. phosphonic acid n. at phosphonic adj. Compounds).
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1788Phosphorous acid [see sense 2].
1922 T. M. Lowry Inorg. Chem. xxvii. 430 Phosphorous acid..forms phosphites of the type M3PO3, but usually only two of the three hydrogen atoms are replaced by metals.
1939 Osiris 7 230 Alexandr Porfiryevich's first work was a comparative study of the arsenious and phosphorous acids from the chemical and toxicological points of view.
1988 F. A. Cotton & G. Wilkinson Adv. Inorg. Chem. (ed. 5) xi. 401 It may be noted..that phosphorous acid itself, and all trivalent phosphorus acids generally, are thermally unstable.
phosphorous anhydride n. Chemistry = phosphorus trioxide n. at phosphorus n. Compounds 2.
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1866 H. E. Roscoe Lessons Elem. Chem. xv. 133 Phosphoric Trioxide, or Phosphorous Anhydride... This oxide..forms a white non-crystalline powder which combines with great energy with water, forming thereby phosphorous acid, or hydric phosphite, H3PO3.
1940 G. H. J. Adlam & L. S. Price Higher School Certificate Inorg. Chem. (ed. 2) xli. 400 There are three well-established oxides of phosphorus: P2O3 or P4O6—phosphorus trioxide or phosphorous anhydride [etc.].
1999 Jrnl. Molecular Catalysis A. 143 181 Acetonitrile, dichloromethane, and dichloro-1,2-ethane are distilled under argon over phosphorous anhydride.
phosphorous chloride n. Chemistry = phosphorus trichloride n. at phosphorus n. Compounds 2.
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1866 H. Watts Dict. Chem. IV. 510 Trichloride of Phosphorus or Phosphorous Chloride, PCl3.
1906 Science 2 Feb. 171/2 For the two vapors, phosphorous chloride and arsenious chloride, we may think of the univalent atoms as free to move in planes at right angles to the directions of the valencies of the trivalent atom.
1943 Isis 34 351/1 (caption) The action of phosphorous chloride causes replacement of O and H at ‘ac’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1717