silicon

noun

sil·​i·​con ˈsi-li-kən  ˈsi-lə-ˌkän 

: 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

But that was before Apple started equipping Macs with its own in-house silicon, upping the ante for what consumers expect in terms of battery life even when pushing these machines to their fullest potential. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026

This is a custom piece of silicon that's new this year. —Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026

They are both used in the semiconductor industry to deposit thin films of silicon and germanium for advanced computing chips, among other uses. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026

The red areas may indicate the presence of molecules such as silicon monoxide, which appear only when massive gas clouds collide. —Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing silicon

• silicon carbide
• silicon dioxide
• silicon nitride

Kids Definition

silicon

noun

sil·​i·​con ˈsil-i-kən 

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  ˈsil-ə-ˌkän 

: 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