phosphorus

Borrowed from Latin phōsphorus, from Ancient Greek φωσφόρος (phōsphóros, “the bearer of light”), from φῶς (phôs, “light”) + φέρω (phérō, “to bear, to carry”).

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: fŏsʹfərəs, fŏsʹfrəs, IPA^(key): /ˈfɒsfəɹəs/, /ˈfɒsfɹəs/
• (US) enPR: fäsʹfərəs, IPA^(key): /ˈfɑsfɚəs/

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• Homophones: phosphorous, Phosphorus

phosphorus (countable and uncountable, plural phosphoruses or phosphori)

1. (chemistry) a chemical element (symbol P) with an atomic number of 15, that exists in several allotropic forms.
2. (obsolete) any substance exhibiting phosphorescence; a phosphor

• Do not confuse phosphorus with phosphorous, which is an adjective.

• ADP
• AMP
• ATP
• bone-ash
• smoking stool syndrome

From Ancient Greek φωσφόρος (phōsphóros, “light-bearing”).

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈpʰoːs.pʰo.rus/, [ˈpʰoːs.pʰɔ.rʊs]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈfos.fo.rus/

phōsphorus m (genitive phōsphorī); second declension

1. (New Latin, chemistry) phosphorus

Second declension.

• Italian: fosforo