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

Foundational’s first customers are data-center developers, neoclouds, and chipmakers who need custom rack enclosures now that new AI silicon runs at different voltages and cooling requirements. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 30 July 2026

Beyond transistor scaling For decades, improvements in wafer fabrication equipment drove Moore’s Law by enabling chipmakers to pack more transistors onto silicon. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026

For investors, the implication of specialization is that proprietary silicon is becoming less optional for hyperscalers, not more. — Karl Freund, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Critically, they can be manufactured; with the right wiring, electromagnetic interactions can trap a single electron in a small patch of silicon. — ArsTechnica, 29 July 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