vacuum-tube

vacuum-tube — noun

1. a sealed glass or metal container from which the air has been removed, used to c

1.名詞B2
釋義

a sealed glass or metal container from which the air has been removed, used to control the flow of electric current through a vacuum — a key component of many old radios, televisions, and early computers before transistors were invented

例句

My grandfather's radio has four vacuum tubes that glow orange when it is turned on.

countable noun with measure phrase

Guitarists often prefer vacuum-tube amplifiers because they produce a warmer, more natural sound.

compound modifier: vacuum-tube + noun

同義詞
  • valve

    British English term; very common in the UK and in professional audio contexts

  • electron tube

    more formal or technical synonym; used in engineering textbooks

反義詞
  • transistor

    the solid-state device that replaced vacuum tubes in most electronics from the 1960s

用法筆記

In informal American English, 'tube' alone often stands for 'vacuum tube' (e.g., 'the TV's tubes are dying'). In British English, the device is commonly called a 'valve'.

常見錯誤

❌A vacuum tube is similar to a modern transistor.
✅A vacuum tube is an older type of electronic component that was replaced by the transistor.
💡Transistors and vacuum tubes serve similar functions but are different technologies.