Phrase guide

electron tube

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several electronic devices that control electron current through vacuum, gas or vapor between electrodes within a sealed container, usually of glass or metal and often designed to be easily installed in and removed from the equipment in which it is used.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

electronic device consisting of a system of electrodes arranged in an evacuated glass or metal envelope

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tube, vacuum tube, thermionic vacuum tube, thermionic tube, thermionic valve

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: electronic device

Narrower terms: acorn tube, diode, rectifying tube, rectifying valve, electron multiplier, gas-discharge tube, klystron, magnetron, pentode, television-camera tube, television pickup tube, tetrode, triode, X-ray tube

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 電子管 /电子管 (diànzǐguǎn) — electrical device
  • Esperanto: elektrona valvo — electrical device
  • Esperanto: elektronaj valvoj — electrical device
  • Polish: lampa elektronowa — electrical device