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

That bullish target did not include custom silicon sales from these two new customers. —Jeff Marks, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2025

To demonstrate this, quantum engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Melbourne University in Australia embedded an antimony atom into a silicon device to create a qubit. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Feb. 2025

Looking Ahead: Shaping the Future of AI Infrastructure As the race for silicon photonics dominance intensifies, Teramount’s focus remains on scalability and reliability. —Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025

That's one of the reasons that recent generations of batteries are starting to incorporate silicon into the electrode materials. —Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 17 Jan. 2025

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