Real Dictionary

transistor
countable noun: A transistor is a small electronic part in something such as a television or radio, which controls the flow of electricity.
countable noun: A transistor or a transistor radio is a small portable radio.

transistor in American English
a solid-state, electronic device, composed of semiconductor material, as germanium, silicon, etc., that controls current flow without use of a vacuum: transistors are similar in function to electron tubes, but have the advantages of being compact, long-li
adjective: transistorized
noun: a semiconductor device that amplifies, oscillates, or switches the flow of current between two terminals by varying the current or voltage between one of the terminals and a third: although much smaller in size than a vacuum tube, it performs similar func

transistor in British English
noun: a semiconductor device, having three or more terminals attached to electrode regions, in which current flowing between two electrodes is controlled by a voltage or current applied to one or more specified electrodes. The device is capable of amplification

transistor in Electrical Engineering
noun: A transistor is a basic solid-state control device that controls current flow between two terminals, based on the voltage or current delivered to a third terminal.