photoswitchable

P3H4O1T1O1S1W4I1T1C3H4A1B3L1E1
US/ˌfoʊtoʊˈswɪt͡ʃəbl̩/

adjective

Capable of being photoswitched, or switched by an optical signal.

OriginEnglish switchable ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
Scrabble 30
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Meanings

adjectivephotoswitchable (not comparable)
  1. not comparablebiotechnologyCapable of being photoswitched, or switched by an optical signal.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
  4. Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
  5. Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
  6. Ancient Greekφωτο- (phōto-)
  7. Englishphoto-
  8. Englishswitchable
  9. Englishphotoswitchable

From photo- + switchable.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

photoswitchable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photoswitchable

MLA

“photoswitchable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photoswitchable. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “photoswitchable,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photoswitchable.

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