silicon

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

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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Recent Examples of silicon from the Web

These huge, $100 million systems essentially etch tiny transistor patterns onto silicon at nanometer scale.

— mike freeman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "ASML's Cymer Technologies hits milestones to deliver smaller, faster chips," 29 Aug. 2017
Three Wisconsin companies are in the third cohort: KW Technologies, based in Milwaukee, is working to produce high-power industrial power supplies using silicon carbide technology.

— sarah hauer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Seven startups begin WERCBench Labs program this week," 28 Aug. 2017
In one example of this, Google (goog, -0.59%) last week disclosed more about its Titan chip, which puts more security features directly into the chip's silicon to thwart attackers.

— barb darrow, Fortune, "VMware Puts Security at the Heart of its Software," 27 Aug. 2017
Holding the bag vertically, pipe 1 1/4 inch circles onto a silicon Silpat, placed on a baking sheet.

— jenn rice, Vogue, "3 Savory Macaron Recipes Perfect for Summer Entertaining," 1 Aug. 2017
The Walking Dead has selfie opportunities with a silicon Negan and another with a cheesy stuffed tiger.

— lesley goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, "Comic-Con Marketing Blitz Reaches Peak TV Status," 21 July 2017
By comparison, the Earth's crust is made up of several elements, including 47 percent oxygen, 27 percent silicon, 8 percent aluminum and 5 percent iron.

— Fox News, "Astronomers discover exoplanet where a year lasts four-and-a-half hours," 18 July 2017
Humans have learned to connect in this manner for tens of thousands of years, and silicon chips aren’t going to change that anytime soon.

— philip chard, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Genuine connection, not social media, is the antidote for loneliness," 1 July 2017
Electrical tests showed their new transistors to be faster and more efficient than ones made of silicon.

— matthew hutson, Science | AAAS, "Scientists use carbon nanotubes to make the world’s smallest transistors," 29 June 2017

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)

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First Known Use: 1817

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SILICON Defined for English Language Learners

silicon

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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

play

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

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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

Learn More about silicon

See words that rhyme with silicon Spanish Central: Translation of silicon Nglish: Translation of silicon for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about silicon

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silicon

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Definition of silicon for English Language Learners

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silicon

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silicon

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