wafer

1 of 2

noun

wa·​fer ˈwā-fər How to pronounce wafer (audio)
plural wafers
1
a
: a thin crisp cake, candy, or cracker
b
: a round thin piece of unleavened bread used in the celebration of the Eucharist
2
: an adhesive disk of dried paste with added coloring matter used as a seal
3
a
: a thin disk or ring resembling a wafer and variously used (as for a valve or diaphragm)
b
: a thin slice of semiconductor (such as silicon) used as a base for an electronic component or circuit
wafer-like adjective
or less commonly waferlike
wafer-like cookies
a wafer-like electronic sensor

wafer

2 of 2

verb

wafered; wafering ˈwā-f(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce wafer (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to seal, close, or fasten with a wafer
2
: to divide (something, such as a silicon rod) into wafers

Examples of wafer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In the late-aughts, at the restaurant French Laundry, in Yountville, California, Lena Kwak was tasked with finding a gluten-free alternative to the restaurant's iconic salmon cornets—small, crunchy wafer cones filled with salmon tartare to signal the beginning of the meal. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 15 Mar. 2024 China produces practically all of the world’s equipment for making solar panels, and almost all of the supply of every component of solar panels, from wafers to special glass. Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 In the new study, researchers created a silicon wafer that varied in height from 150 to 220 nanometers. IEEE Spectrum, 4 Mar. 2024 Balanced, crisp, elegant aromas that include chocolate wafers and cherries. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 The classic banana-pudding recipe is actually very simple: just vanilla pudding, Nilla wafers, and fresh bananas. Cheyann Harris, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024 Energy Department approves $544 million loan for production of silicon carbide wafers for EVs and power electronics in Michigan. Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Spanning Pyeongtaek to Yongin, the area is expected to be the largest in the world, capable of producing 7.7 million wafers monthly by 2030. Yoolim Lee, Fortune Asia, 26 Jan. 2024 Brown butter imparts a nutty flavor to the wafer crust. John Somerall, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2023
Verb
How To Make Banana Pudding Cheesecake With an impressive ring of vanilla wafers around the edge of the cheesecake, and decadent filling, no one will know how quickly this dessert came together. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 Tips for the Best Banana Pudding Cheesecake For the best banana pudding cheesecake, keep these tips in mind: Use the crust: Press the crust lightly up the sides of the pan to give the ring of vanilla wafers stability. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 Layer half of vanilla wafers in an 8-inch square baking dish. Rebecca Lang, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023 The blue-and-white Intel theme is only the start of this nifty mod, which resembles an Intel CPU wafer just off the fab. John Burek, PCMAG, 5 June 2023 Instead, the lasers on the wafer are undercut so that they are attached to the source wafer only by small tethers. Roel Baets, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Apr. 2023 LAM Research, a company that supplies wafer fabrication equipment and related services to the semiconductor industry saw its last stock split in 2020. Trefis Team, Forbes, 9 June 2022 Highly energy efficient and often wafer thin, OLEDs are the technology of choice in high-end cellphone displays and televisions. New York Times, 27 Mar. 2022 The bottom of a L’industrie pie — wafer thin but still somehow pliable — is a miracle of engineering. New York Times, 17 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wafer.' 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

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French wafer, walfre, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch wafele waffle

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1748, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wafer was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near wafer

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

wafer

noun
wa·​fer
ˈwā-fər
1
a
: a thin crisp cake or cracker
b
: a round thin piece of bread used in the sacrament of Communion
2
: something (as a piece of candy or a computer chip) resembling a wafer especially in thin round form

Medical Definition

wafer

noun
wa·​fer ˈwā-fər How to pronounce wafer (audio)
: cachet

More from Merriam-Webster on wafer

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!