phosphorous
Syllabification: (phos·pho·rous)
Pronunciation: /ˈfäsfərəs, fäsˈfôrəs/
Definition of phosphorous
adjective
The correct spelling for the noun denoting the chemical element is phosphorus, while the adjective meaning ‘relating to or containing phosphorus’ is spelled phosphorous. A common mistake is to use the spelling phosphorous for the noun as well as the adjective.