photodiode

noun

pho·​to·​di·​ode ˌfō-tō-ˈdī-ˌōd How to pronounce photodiode (audio)
: a photoelectric semiconductor device for detecting and often measuring radiant energy (such as light)

Examples of photodiode in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This works by sending a tiny bit of the optical signal to a photodiode that measures how much optical power is there. — Ars Technica, 12 Jan. 2025 Normally, photodiodes are used to respond to light, such as the signals used in fiber-optic communications. — Tim Kuhlbusch, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2024 These brief emissions were captured using high-speed imaging, photodiode detection, and photon-counting devices. — Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025 Whereas sunlight boils water for the electrical grid, starlight generates a mere trickle of electricity on large photodiodes that are like the cells of a solar panel. — Victoria Corless, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for photodiode

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of photodiode was in 1945

Rhymes for photodiode

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Browse Nearby Words

photodetector
photodiode
photodisintegration
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Cite this Entry

“Photodiode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photodiode. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

photodiode

noun
pho·​to·​di·​ode -ˈdī-ˌōd How to pronounce photodiode (audio)
: a photoelectric semiconductor device for detecting and often measuring radiant energy (such as light)

More from Merriam-Webster on photodiode

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about photodiode

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