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

All three phones feature OLED displays, silicon-carbon batteries between 6,510mAh and 8,000mAh in size, and run on Vivo’s OriginOS 7 software. — Dominic Preston, The Verge, 21 Sep. 2026

The problem, however, is that at these depths sunlight fades rapidly, and red light, where silicon cells perform best, is completely absorbed. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026

As a result, silicon architecture increasingly influences the capabilities companies can deliver at the product level. — Iri Trashanski, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

But the company said its silicon systems for foundational models will reduce the energy needs and costs of AI data center infrastructure, which is seeing a funding boom. — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 14 Sep. 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