thyristor

noun

thy·​ris·​tor thī-ˈri-stər How to pronounce thyristor (audio)
: any of several semiconductor devices that act as switches, rectifiers, or voltage regulators

Examples of thyristor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Within each circuit, solid-state switches known as thyristors chew up the AC and spit it out as DC flowing at 800 kilovolts. Peter Fairley, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2019 Over the past three decades, China pushed traditional HVDC technology, based on current source converters and thyristors, to massive scale to send hydro, coal, and wind power thousands of kilometers to its coastal industries and megacities. IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thyristor was in 1958

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Cite this Entry

“Thyristor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thyristor. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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