silicon

noun sil·i·con \ ˈsi-li-kən , ˈsi-lə-ˌkän \

Updated on: 6 Apr 2018

Definition of silicon

: 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 ferrosilicon for steelmaking, in other alloys, and in semiconductors — see Chemical Elements Table

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See silicon defined for kids

Recent Examples of silicon from the Web

Importantly, the silicon on the new iPad has been upgraded to Apple’s latest A10 chip.

— brooke crothers, Fox News, "Cheaper 2018 iPad is a steal for consumers," 2 Apr. 2018
The silky double-layer polyester infinity scarf is fitted with a big food-grade silicon teething ring that could pass, sans child, as a clunky accent piece.

— judi dash, latimes.com, "Fashionable, versatile and safe: what every traveler needs," 26 Mar. 2018
Silicon Valley visitors can tour the NASA Ames Research Center, the Computer History Museum, and the Intel Museum, a veritable entomological exhibit of bug-like silicon and microchips.

— jon marcus, BostonGlobe.com, "Silicon Valley tech giants get on board with tours," 25 Mar. 2018
In 1965, a computer-chip designer named Gordon Moore published a soon-to-be-famous paper predicting that computing power—the number of logic gates that could be packed onto a silicon chip—was about to begin doubling every year.

— adam fisher, Smithsonian, "What Will Be the Next Big Thing to Come Out of Silicon Valley?," 22 Mar. 2018
Up next for Singhal are fixes that will be embedded directly in the silicon of upcoming products.

— aaron pressman, Fortune, "How Intel Is Moving From Software Fixes to Hardware Redesigns to Combat Specter and Meltdown," 15 Mar. 2018
Because silicon is fragile, the company then coats the wafer with a polymer backing and cuts it into individual chips.

— john sowell, idahostatesman, "This Boise firm has developed bendable computer chips. They may be on your body soon. | Idaho Statesman," 23 Feb. 2018
In the brewing trade war between the United States and China, silicon and software matter more than steel.

— hiawatha bray, BostonGlobe.com, "Let’s worry about silicon, not steel," 13 Mar. 2018
Shana Kreusch says the drought sped up her decision to move over from using tampons and pads to using Mooncups, reusable menstrual cups made of surgical silicon.

— kristen van schie, Glamour, "Without Water, the Women of Cape Town Are Redefining ‘Self-Care’," 7 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'silicon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of silicon

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1817

See Words from the same year

SILICON Defined for English Language Learners

silicon

noun

Definition of silicon for English Language Learners

: a chemical element that is found in the Earth's crust and is used especially in computers and electronics

SILICON Defined for Kids

silicon

noun sil·i·con \ ˈsi-li-kən , ˈsi-lə-ˌkän \

Definition of silicon for Students

: a chemical element that next to oxygen is the most common element in the earth's crust and is used especially in electronic devices

Medical Dictionary

silicon

noun sil·i·con \ ˈsil-i-kən , ˈsil-ə-ˌkän \

medical Definition of silicon

: 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