transistor

noun tran·sis·tor \ tran-ˈzi-stər , tran(t)-ˈsi- \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of transistor

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

See transistor defined for English-language learners

See transistor defined for kids

Recent Examples of transistor from the Web

Love served as the longtime lyrical laureate of the operation, penning images that will live forever in the American psyche, and Wilson blossomed into a Mozart for the transistor radio era.

— jordan runtagh, PEOPLE.com, "The Beach Boys in Their Own Words: America's Band Tells the Tales Behind Their Pop Masterpieces," 8 June 2018
Because this setup can be reconfigured on the fly, working around the variability of individual transistors is possible.

— john timmer, Ars Technica, "Training a neural network in phase-change memory beats GPUs," 7 June 2018
These pulses, and those from other pressure sensor/ring oscillator combos, are fed into a third device called a synaptic transistor, which sends out a series of electrical pulses in patterns that match those produced by biological neurons.

— robert f. service, Science | AAAS, "New artificial nerves could transform prosthetics," 31 May 2018
Want to make better lasers or transistors or television sets?

— james gleick, New York Times, "What Does Quantum Physics Actually Tell Us About the World?," 8 May 2018
Intel pulled off that magic trick by steadily shrinking the features on its chips, packing more and more transistors into the same space, and by changing the materials and shape of the circuitry.

— mike rogoway, OregonLive.com, "Intel hits a wall on Moore's Law; growth in computing power finally slows," 3 May 2018
After inventing the transistor at its Bell Labs facility, the company faced pressure from antitrust regulators to make the technology widely available at a low price.

— michael lind, Fortune, "Commentary: Who Wins After U.S. Antitrust Regulators Attack? China.," 29 Mar. 2018
Kids listened to transistor radios, talked among themselves, even threw erasers at his back.

— USA TODAY, "Priest accused in 124 Guam sex abuse cases ages quietly, alone," 5 May 2018
For decades Intel produced new generations of chips on a two-year cycle, multiplying the number of transistors each time and thereby achieving massive increases in computing power.

— mike rogoway, OregonLive.com, "Intel hits a wall on Moore's Law; growth in computing power finally slows," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'transistor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of transistor

trans- + ¹(re)sist(ance) + ¹-or

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1948

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

TRANSISTOR Defined for English Language Learners

transistor

noun

Definition of transistor for English Language Learners

: a small device that is used to control the flow of electricity in radios, computers, etc.

TRANSISTOR Defined for Kids

transistor

noun tran·sis·tor \ tran-ˈzi-stər \

Definition of transistor for Students

: a small solid electronic device used for controlling the flow of electricity

Medical Dictionary

transistor

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

medical Definition of transistor

: 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