phosphorous

P3H4O1S1P3H4O1R1O1U1S1

adjective

Of or pertaining to phosphorus.

Similar
phosphoric
OriginProto-Indo-European *h₃édosder.? ← English phosphorus ← Latin phōsphorus →
Less commonScrabble 21
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Meanings

adjectivephosphorous (not comparable)
  1. not comparablechemistryOf or pertaining to phosphorus.

    Synonyms: phosphoric

  2. not comparableResembling phosphorus.

    Synonyms: phosphoric

  3. not comparablechemistryOf, relating to, or containing trivalent phosphorus.
nounphosphorous (uncountable)
  1. misspellingproscribeduncountableMisspelling of phosphorus.

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

    1991 April 6, Steve Rose, “A Human Drama”, in Gay Community News, page 5

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf or pertaining to phosphorus.

Similar
phosphoric

adjectiveResembling phosphorus.

Similar
phosphoric

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivecontaining or characteristic of phosphorus

Similar
phosphoric
Also see
phosphoric

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
  4. Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
  5. Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéreti
  8. Proto-Hellenic*pʰérō
  9. Ancient Greekφέρω (phérō)
  10. Ancient Greekφωσφόρος (phōsphóros)
  11. Latinphōsphorus
  12. Englishphosphorus
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₃ed-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₃édosder.?
  15. Englishphosphorous

From phosphorus + -ous.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian фосфорен, съдържащ тривалентен фосфор
  • фосфорен (fosforen)of or pertaining to phosphorus
  • съдържащ тривалентен фосфор (sădăržašt trivalenten fosfor)of, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
Catalan fosforós
  • fosforósof or pertaining to phosphorus
Danish fosforholdig, fosforlignende
  • fosforholdigof or pertaining to phosphorus
  • fosforlignenderesembling phosphorus
  • fosforsyrligof, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
Dutch fosforig
  • fosforigof, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
French phosphoreux, phosphorique
  • phosphoreuxof or pertaining to phosphorus
  • phosphoriqueof or pertaining to phosphorus
  • phosphorescentof or pertaining to phosphorus
  • phosphorescenteof or pertaining to phosphorus
  • phosphoreuxresembling phosphorus
  • phosphoriqueresembling phosphorus
  • phosphorescentresembling phosphorus
  • phosphorescenteresembling phosphorus
  • phosphoreuxof, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
  • phosphoriqueof, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
  • phosphorescentof, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
  • phosphorescenteof, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
Italian fosforoso
  • fosforosoof, relating to or containing trivalent phosphorus
Portuguese fosforoso
  • fosforosoof or pertaining to phosphorus

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

phosphorusphosphorus
Cite this entry
APA

phosphorous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphorous

MLA

“phosphorous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphorous. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phosphorous,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphorous.

Source: phosphorous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.