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 Because silicon is typically a longer development cycle. IEEE Spectrum, 6 Sep. 2023 Arm is an intellectual property business about licenses and royalties; the company isn’t shipping silicon. Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 25 Aug. 2023 Pour into a silicon mold in the shape of your choice, such as skulls and set in refrigerator until the shots gel. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 2 Aug. 2023 This comes amid rumors that Intel canceled the silicon in favor of a Raptor Lake refresh. Michael Kan, PCMAG, 26 June 2023 To reveal the silicon straw, @newyorknico enlisted the same fan to try it out. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2023 Semiconductor devices made with wide-bandgap materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) can operate at much higher voltages, temperatures, and frequencies than traditional silicon devices can. IEEE Spectrum, 22 Aug. 2023 Too many important decisions are taken away from the driver and relegated to HAL or whatever silicon pseudonym is on duty. Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 19 Aug. 2023 This includes silver, silicon, copper and aluminum, which could be repurposed for other uses or infused back into future panels. Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 2 Aug. 2023 See More

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 27 Sep. 2023.

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!