in silico
adverb or adjective
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In silico literally means "in silicon" in New Latin, and is a nod to the importance of silicon in the creation of computer chips. (The same nod is given in the name "Silicon Valley.") In silico, which dates only to the early 1990s, is modeled on and often contrasted with two similarly-structured terms, both of which date to the pre-computer days right around the start of the 20th century. In vitro means "outside the living body and in an artificial environment." (In New Latin in vitro means "in glass.") In vivo translates as "in the living" in New Latin, and is used in English to mean "in the living body of a plant or animal."
Examples of in silico in a Sentence
Tomoko Yokoi, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Most experimental efforts consequently sought to summon the butterfly in silico, within the confines of computer simulations, and those reliant on physical quantum systems studied its properties using largely indirect measurements.
—Gayoung Lee, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2025
And that the bio-computer has in vitro living neurons and in silico artificial neurons.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the use of in silico testing as a replacement for animal testing in efforts to develop an artificial pancreas for diabetics.
—Behnood Gholami, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Sep. 2018
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Cite this Entry
“In silico.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20silico. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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in silico
adjective or adverb
Steven Johnson, The Nation
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