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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To assemble a $500 billion pipeline to finance the construction of data centers and GPU clusters for companies that lack the credit rating or cash to buy millions of dollars of silicon outright. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 Shortening silicon cycle Applied Materials designed EPIC to tackle the long development timelines that often keep promising semiconductor technologies out of factories. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026 The measure stores a unique encryption key in a silicon-resident fortress that’s built into the device running the browser. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026 Neuromorphic architectures overcome the limitations of pure silicon techniques due to power and latency. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for silicon

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

Phrases Containing silicon

Browse Nearby Words

silicomanganese
silicon
silicon bronze
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Silicon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silicon. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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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

Nglish: Translation of silicon for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about silicon

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