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

Before Clipper's launch, engineers discovered a flaw that could make the spacecraft's transistors more susceptible to radiation damage. —Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025

The team has now built the first transistor-like switch that controls exciton flow. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025

That concept was foreign to me, having grown up in the transistor era. —David Schneider, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Aug. 2025

That paved the way for miniaturizing chips by building all the components of a circuit, not just the transistors, directly into a single piece of silicon. —Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025

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

Rhymes for transistor

• resister
• resistor
• stepsister
• blister
• lyster
• mister
• sister
• twister

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