transistor

noun

tran·​sis·​tor tran-ˈzi-stər 

tran(t)-ˈsi-

1

: a solid-state electronic device that is used to control the flow of electricity in electronic equipment and usually consists of a small block of a semiconductor (such as germanium) with at least three electrodes

2

: a transistorized radio

Examples of transistor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Today’s chips have billions of transistors, tiny gates for managing electric current. —Billy Perrigo, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024

Users manipulate the toy by adding wires, switches, speakers, transistors, alarms, LED lights and motors to a base grid. —Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Nov. 2024

But as chips have grown staggeringly complex—with some comprising hundreds of billions of transistors—so have the problems designers must solve. —Somdeb Majumdar, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Nov. 2024

The slightest deviation from reality for a single transistor can cause a chip failure. —Sunil Mehta, The Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

trans- + (re)sist(ance) entry 1 + -or entry 1

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing transistor

• field-effect transistor
• transistor radio

Kids Definition

transistor

noun

tran·​sis·​tor tranz-ˈis-tər 

tran(t)s-

1

: an electronic device that consists of a small block of a semiconductor (as germanium) with at least three electrodes and is used to control the flow of electricity in electronic equipment (as a radio or computer)

2

: a radio having transistors

called also transistor radio

Medical Definition

transistor

noun

tran·​sis·​tor tranz-ˈis-tər, tran(t)s- 

: a solid-state electronic device that is used to control the flow of electricity in electronic equipment and consists of a small block of a semiconductor (as germanium) with at least three electrodes