Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or containing phosphorus, especially with valence 5 or a valence higher than that of a comparable phosphorous compound.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to, obtained from, or resembling phosphorus; phosphorescent.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective (Chem.) Of or pertaining to phosphorus; resembling, or containing, from us; specifically, designating those compounds in which phosphorus has a higher valence as contrasted with the phosphorous compounds.
  • adjective Phosphorescent.
  • adjective (Chem.) Pure normal phosphoric acid.
  • adjective (Chem.) a white crystalline substance, H3PO4, which is the most highly oxidized acid of phosphorus, and forms an important and extensive series of compounds, viz., the phosphates.
  • adjective (Agric. Chem.) phosphoric acid combined in acid salts, or in neutral or basic salts, which are respectively soluble and insoluble in water or in plant juices.
  • adjective (Agric. Chem.) phosphoric acid changed from acid (soluble) salts back to neutral or basic (insoluble) salts.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective chemistry Of or pertaining to phosphorus.
  • adjective Resembling phosphorus.
  • adjective chemistry Of a compound, containing phosphorus in a higher oxidation number than phosphorous compounds, especially with one of 5.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective containing or characteristic of phosphorus

Etymologies

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Examples

  • ~ Phosphorus forms two well-known oxides, -- the trioxide (P_ {2} O_ {3}) and the pentoxide (P_ {2} O_ {5}), sometimes called phosphoric anhydride.

    An Elementary Study of Chemistry William McPherson

  • The most common source of phosphorus, usually referred to as phosphoric acid, is acid phosphate.

    The Pecan and its Culture 1920

  • United with oxygen, phosphorus forms what is known as phosphoric acid; this, with lime, makes phosphate of lime, in which form it is found in the bones and teeth; it is found also in the brain and nerves, flesh and blood.

    Public School Domestic Science Adelaide Hoodless 1884

  • FDA now requires that commercial mixes contain specific levels of microbial inhibitors, usually acidifying agents such as phosphoric or citric acid.

    Commenting on Comments - Bitten Blog - NYTimes.com 2008

  • Salts of various kinds are produced from the recrements of animal and vegetable bodies, such as phosphoric, ammoniacal, marine salt, and others; these are washed from the earth by rains, and carried down our rivers into the sea; they seem all here to decompose each other except the marine salt, which has therefore from the beginning of the habitable world been perpetually accumulating.

    The Botanic Garden A Poem in Two Parts. Part 1: the Economy of Vegetation Erasmus Darwin 1766

  •  Various acids such as phosphoric, lactic, acetic acids at proper concentration and pH can produce corrosion.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows stgdc 2009

  • "Iffco is on a backward integration spree with overseas ventures such as phosphoric acid plants in Senegal, Egypt and Jordan for supplying phosphoric acid to its Kandla and Paradeep units.

    The Financial Express 2008

  • Among the chemicals handled by Magnablend are hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid, environmental officials said.

    Fire Engulfs Texas Chemical Plant Ben Lefebvre 2011

  • Another typical soda ingredient, phosphoric acid, rots teeth.

    Michael F. Jacobson: Look Out For THIS Ingredient In Soda (Hint: It's Not What You Think) Michael F. Jacobson 2011

  • The Ginga Bobcat has a crew of 24, all Bangladeshi, and is carrying phosphoric acid from Europe to India, the Tokyo Marine spokesman said.

    Japanese Tanker Attacked in Red Sea Yoshio Takahashi 2011

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