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noun

phosphorus

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

In a sentence

Six example sentences with phosphorus, each labelled with its topic.

  • Runoff carrying phosphorus from fertilized fields feeds the algae that turned the whole lake green by early August.

    Environment

  • Kept under water because it catches fire in dry air, white phosphorus was first isolated by an alchemist boiling urine.

    Science

  • Dairy and beans supply the phosphorus a growing child needs, which is why the school menu pairs them weekly.

    Cooking

  • Nineteenth century match factories used white phosphorus, and the workers who dipped the sticks paid for it with their health.

    History

  • Kidney patients watch their phosphorus intake closely, since the failing organ can no longer clear the excess from the blood.

    Medicine

  • Nearly all mined phosphorus comes from a handful of countries, so fertilizer prices swing whenever one of them restricts exports.

    Economics

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Found in these word lists

Found in 2 published word listsAuthoritative

Each source is a published word list that contains phosphorus. No exam board publishes an official GRE, GMAT or SAT list; GMAT words come from GRE lists and the Academic Word List.

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