silicon
noun
sil·i·con
ˈsi-li-kən 
ˈsi-lə-ˌkän
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 escapement plays its part in this innovative approach, as it is produced from an upcycled silicon wafer supplied by company called Sigatec.
—
Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Apple's shift to bespoke silicon for their laptops and tablets has been a huge performance booster, and the latest MacBook Air won an Editors' Choice award in our review.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
The underlying mechanics involve a slab waveguide composed of a silicon nitride core, a photoconductive silicon-rich nitride layer, and an indium tin oxide electrode.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
This adorable silicon whisk, spatula, brush, turner, and spoonula (spoon-spatula) come in spring colors like pastel purple, pastel green, and cream as a small, but playful, nod to April.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silicon
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Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Apple's shift to bespoke silicon for their laptops and tablets has been a huge performance booster, and the latest MacBook Air won an Editors' Choice award in our review.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
The underlying mechanics involve a slab waveguide composed of a silicon nitride core, a photoconductive silicon-rich nitride layer, and an indium tin oxide electrode.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
This adorable silicon whisk, spatula, brush, turner, and spoonula (spoon-spatula) come in spring colors like pastel purple, pastel green, and cream as a small, but playful, nod to April.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silicon
Cite this Entry
“Silicon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silicon. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
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