"pertaining to, obtained from, or resembling phosphorus," 1770, from French phosphorique, from phosphore (see phosphorous). Related: Phosphorical (1753).
Entries linking to phosphoric
phosphorous adj.
1777, "phosphorescent," from phosphorus + -ous. The chemical sense of "pertaining to, obtained from, or containing phosphorus" (1794) is immediately from French phosphoreux.