semiconductor

noun

semi·​con·​duc·​tor ˌse-mē-kən-ˈdək-tər 

ˌse-ˌmī-,

-mi-

: any of a class of solids (such as germanium or silicon) whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator in being nearly as great as that of a metal at high temperatures and nearly absent at low temperatures

Did you know?

A semiconductor is a crystal material whose ability to conduct electricity rises as its temperature goes up. That is, it sometimes acts as a conductor and sometimes as an insulator. Its conducting ability can be much increased by chemical treatment. A manufactured chip of silicon, less than half an inch square, may contain millions of microscopic transistors, which can serve control and memory functions when installed in a computer, automobile, cell phone, DVD player, or microwave oven.

Examples of semiconductor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bhave’s team cited senior analyst Vivek Arya, who covers the semiconductors sector, and his bullish call that despite concerns about the medium term, capital expenditures will still power GDP growth. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025

Blending two worlds In April, the same team made headlines after developing the PoX 2D flash memory prototype, which achieved an extraordinary program speed of 400 picoseconds, the fastest semiconductor charge storage ever recorded. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025

China controls about 70% of the global supply of rare earths minerals, which are critical for high-tech industries, including automobiles, defense and semiconductors. —Dan Mangan, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025

China produces and refines the vast majority of the world’s supply of rare earths, key in several industries, including defense and semiconductor manufacturing. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for semiconductor

• superconductor
• abductor
• conductor
• constructor
• destructor
• inductor
• instructor

Kids Definition

semiconductor

noun

semi·​con·​duc·​tor ˌsem-i-kən-ˈdək-tər 

ˌsem-ˌī-

: any of a class of solids (as germanium) that have an ability to conduct electricity between that of a conductor and that of an insulator

semiconducting

-tiŋ

adjective

Medical Definition

semiconductor

noun

semi·​con·​duc·​tor -kən-ˈdək-tər 

: any of a class of solids (as germanium or silicon) whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator in being nearly as great as that of a metal at high temperatures and nearly absent at low temperatures