silicon

noun

sil·​i·​con ˈsi-li-kən How to pronounce silicon (audio) ˈsi-lə-ˌkän How to pronounce silicon (audio)
: a tetravalent nonmetallic element with atomic number 14 that occurs combined as the most abundant element next to oxygen in the earth's crust and is used especially in semiconductors, in ferrosilicon for steelmaking, and in other alloys
often used before another noun
silicon chips
silicon carbide
see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of silicon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The lotion’s other active ingredient is dimethicone, a silicon polymer that acts as an emollient, sealing in the skin’s natural moisture and protecting it. Tanya Edwards, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 The result of the campaign is a silicon microchip on the panel with the names of 2.6 million people stenciled onto it. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 Wafers are thin pieces of pure semiconductor material, like silicon, that have been cut and smoothed. Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 Meta’s prototype chip has both logic and memory on each silicon die. IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2024 The splintered water is documented in a set of bluish laser prints that demonstrate the results when droplets hit silicon wafers ultra-cooled by liquid nitrogen. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024 The lunar surface is composed of 43% oxygen, 20% silicon, 19% magnesium, 10% iron, 3% calcium, 3% aluminum, 0.42% chromium, 0.18% titanium, and 0.12% manganese by weight. Carlie Procell, The Courier-Journal, 25 Jan. 2024 The Atlantic ran a story headlined the divide between silicon valley and washington is a national security threat. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Jan. 2024 In the new study, by limiting how much the silicon’s thickness could vary across the chip, the researchers developed a way to use much simpler 2D simulations to model the devices. IEEE Spectrum, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'silicon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin silica + English -on (as in carbon)

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of silicon was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near silicon

Cite this Entry

“Silicon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silicon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

silicon

noun
sil·​i·​con ˈsil-i-kən How to pronounce silicon (audio)
ˈsil-ə-ˌkän
: a nonmetallic element that occurs combined as the most abundant element after oxygen in the earth's crust and is used especially in alloys and electronic devices see element

Medical Definition

silicon

noun
sil·​i·​con ˈsil-i-kən How to pronounce silicon (audio) ˈsil-ə-ˌkän How to pronounce silicon (audio)
: a tetravalent nonmetallic element that occurs combined as the most abundant element next to oxygen in the earth's crust and is used especially in alloys
symbol Si
see Chemical Elements Table

More from Merriam-Webster on silicon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!