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

The team integrated spintronic devices right onto a silicon chip by combining semiconductor and spintronics manufacturing techniques in both Japan and the US. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026

Two local residents told The Associated Press on Monday that mines producing raw materials for silicon metal — a key industrial substance used in semiconductors, solar panels, and aluminum alloys — are located in mountainous areas about 15 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Namhkam town. —ABC News, 1 June 2026

Co-designed with Taiwan's MediaTek, the RTX Spark is considered a system-on-chip (SoC) — essentially, this means a bunch of computing functions are integrated onto a single piece of silicon, instead of having separate chips strung together. —Zev Fima, CNBC, 1 June 2026

The system is engineered around the Nvidia silicon, leveraging the high-efficiency hardware to deliver unparalleled power in a slim design. —Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 1 June 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