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

Meanwhile, Apple is betting that within a few years, hefty workloads will run on a chip inside the phone, which will play to its strengths as the company has been integrating AI-capable silicon into its devices since 2017. —Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026

Ternus has been a driving force behind the transition from Intel processors to Apple’s proprietary custom silicon chips—the foundation of Apple’s AI efforts. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026

Their handiwork was on display in the lobby’s Museum of Bizarre Diskasters, an exhibition of silicon carnage. —Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

As the semiconductor industry searches for successors to silicon, the study suggests the next breakthrough may depend less on a single wonder material and more on engineering the interface between multiple layers. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 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