/tran zis"teuhr/ , n.
1. Electronics. 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 functions without requiring current to heat a cathode.
2. Informal. a transistorized radio.
adj.
3. Informal. transistorized: a transistor radio.
[ 1945-50; TRANS(FER) + (RES)ISTOR ]