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
As silicon technology continues to advance in accordance with Moore’s Law, innovations will be needed to optimize chip performance while minimizing energy consumption and mitigating the attendant heat generation.
—
Vipul Ved Prakash, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024
Prior to Monday’s event, Bloomberg reported Apple intended to announce higher-end iPhone 16s including silicon chips designed to support AI and a new camera button, a new series of Apple Watches equipped with a sleep apnea detection feature and two new lines of AirPod headphones.
—Derek Saul, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
Both companies have now accelerated their entire businesses to release new silicon architectures yearly, far faster than ever before.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 9 Sep. 2024
It is polished using silicon nanoparticles to result in a specialized surface shine.
—Hayden Field,ashley Capoot,kif Leswing,todd Haselton, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for silicon 
Vipul Ved Prakash, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024
Prior to Monday’s event, Bloomberg reported Apple intended to announce higher-end iPhone 16s including silicon chips designed to support AI and a new camera button, a new series of Apple Watches equipped with a sleep apnea detection feature and two new lines of AirPod headphones.
—Derek Saul, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
Both companies have now accelerated their entire businesses to release new silicon architectures yearly, far faster than ever before.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 9 Sep. 2024
It is polished using silicon nanoparticles to result in a specialized surface shine.
—Hayden Field,ashley Capoot,kif Leswing,todd Haselton, CNBC, 9 Sep. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near silicon
Cite this Entry
“Silicon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silicon. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
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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