The Quantity of Syllables in Ancient Greek

Figure 1:  An NPN resitor.

A transistor is a semiconductor device. A semiconductor, let us remember, is a component that can - when needed - both halt and conduct the flow of current. The semiconducting material from which computer transistors is made from is termed 'doped silicon.' The term 'doped' refers to how its purity has been altered - or alloyed - so that it might better conduct and resist real - as opposed to conventional - positive electric current. A positive electric charge occurs whenever an atom is positively ionized, i.e. whenever an atom's number of electrons be fewer than its number of protons; i.e. whenever an atom contains more protons than electrons. To conceptualise this lack or absence of electrons flowing about a silicon resistor in the flow of real positive current, we very often term this absence of electrons "holes" and we conceive of these "holes" flowing about a silicon transistor.

Etymology:

The English noun, 'transistor,' is a splicing together of two English nouns: 'transconductance,' and 'resistor.'

Etymology of 'transconductance:'

From the Latin preposition, 'trāns,' which means 'across;' and from the Latin preposition 'cum,' which is here assimilated as 'con-' which expresses completion or perfection or intensive force; and the dūcō, dūcere,  dūxī,  ductum,’ which means ‘to lead;’ and the suffix, ‘-ance’ which denotes ‘a process,’ or ‘action.’

As regards digital electronics, therefore, the term ‘transconductance,’ etymologically means ‘the process of leading [current] across [a component; conductive medium; etc.].’

 Etymology of 'to transfer:'

Some regard the English noun, ‘transistor,’ to be a splicing together of the English verb, ‘to transfer;’ and the English noun, ‘resistor,’ instead.

The following paragraph shall discuss the etymology of the verb, ‘to transfer:’

The verb, ‘to transfer,’ is derived from the Latin preposition, ‘trāns,’ which means 'across;' and from the Latin verb ‘ferō, ferre, tulī or tetulī, lātum,’ which means ‘to bear;’ ‘to carry.’  Therefore, etymologically, as regards Digital Electronics, the term ‘to transfer,’ means ‘to bear current;’ ‘to carry current.’

Etymology of 'resistor:'

The English noun, ‘resistor,’ is derived from the Latin prefix, ‘re-,’ which means ‘back,’ ‘backwards;’ and the Latin 3^rd-conjugation verb, ‘sistō, sistere, stitī or stetī, statum,’ which means ‘to stand [still],’ ‘to halt;’ and from the Latin suffix, ‘-or,’ which denotes the doer of an action; the agent of an action.  (A ‘resistor’ is an agent of ‘resistance.’)

Etymologically, therefore, as regards Digital Electronics, a ‘resistor’ is a component that halts or causes [current] to stand still.

Etymology of 'transistor:'

Therefore, etymologically, a ‘transistor’ is an electrical component that can – depending usually upon some logical input – both, allow [current] to be borne across it and cause [current] to be halted.