Standard Lemma guide

phototube

noun · 1 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A gas-filled electron tube that has a photosensitive cathode.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bheh2- Proto-Indo-European *bhéh2os Proto-Hellenic *pháwos Ancient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos) Ancient Greek φῶς (phôs) Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der. English photo- Latin tuba Latin tubusder. Middle French tubeder. English tube English phototube From photo- + tube.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 光電管 /光电管 (guāngdiànguǎn) — gas-filled electron tube
  • German: Photozelle — gas-filled electron tube
  • Polish: fotokomórka — gas-filled electron tube
  • Spanish: fototubo — gas-filled electron tube