Red phosphorus
| (Chem.) | an allotropic modification of phosphorus, obtained as a dark red powder by heating ordinary phosphorus in closed vessels. It is not poisonous, is not phosphorescent, and is only moderately active chemically. It is valuable as a chemical reagent, and is used in the composition of the friction surface on which safety matches are ignited. |
| (Chem.) | See under Phosphorus. |
See also: Phosphorus, Red