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
In conventional computers, the 0’s and 1’s are represented by the state of a particular piece of electrical hardware, such as a capacitor or transistor.
—
Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 18 July 2025
Headphone amplifier transistor: MJE243G/253G. Display: 3.93-inch LCD.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
The company sources circuit boards, resistors and transistors from China for pedals used by bands including the Black Keys and Guided By Voices.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
In a way, advanced packaging keeps afloat Moore’s Law, the idea that the number of transistors on microchips would double every two years, as breakthroughs in the chip fabrication process become increasingly costly and more difficult.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for transistor
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Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 18 July 2025
Headphone amplifier transistor: MJE243G/253G. Display: 3.93-inch LCD.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
The company sources circuit boards, resistors and transistors from China for pedals used by bands including the Black Keys and Guided By Voices.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
In a way, advanced packaging keeps afloat Moore’s Law, the idea that the number of transistors on microchips would double every two years, as breakthroughs in the chip fabrication process become increasingly costly and more difficult.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for transistor
Cite this Entry
“Transistor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transistor. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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