silicon

noun

sil·​i·​con ˈsi-li-kən How to pronounce silicon (audio) ˈsi-lə-ˌkän How to pronounce silicon (audio)
: 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 Take the case of Nvidia’s newest AI chip, an accelerator GPU known as Blackwell, which is a four-inch square assemblage of silicon and wiring etched with 200 billion transistors. Peter Green, Quartz, 8 June 2024 That’s a technology that puts the chip’s chunky power-delivery interconnects beneath the silicon instead of above it. IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2024 The researchers’ device is composed of an extremely thin cantilevered shaft (like a diving board) made of silicon that responds to minute fluctuations in air flow created by sound. Jordan Pearson, New York Times, 16 May 2024 Silicon chips begin life as circular wafers of pure silicon, each about the size of a large dinner plate. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for silicon 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'silicon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin silica + English -on (as in carbon)

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of silicon was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near silicon

Cite this Entry

“Silicon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silicon. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

silicon

noun
sil·​i·​con ˈsil-i-kən How to pronounce silicon (audio)
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 How to pronounce silicon (audio) ˈsil-ə-ˌkän How to pronounce silicon (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on silicon

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