in silico

American  

[in sil-i-koh] / ɪn ˈsɪl ɪˌkoʊ /

adverb

1. (of a scientific experiment or scientific research) modeled or simulated on a computer, rather than in a living organism, a natural setting, or a controlled experimental environment.

   An increasing amount of scientific work is performed in silico, with the entire process, from experiment to publication, performed by computer.

   The data was obtained from the results of an in silico analysis of four different treatments.

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Etymology

Origin of in silico

First recorded in 1985–90; on the pattern of in vitro ( def. ), with substitution of vitro with silico, based on silicon ( def. )

Example Sentences

No other methods, including in silico approaches, can fully replace these studies.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2025

So-called “soft” Alife, such as the Game of Life, simulates life in silico.

From Scientific American • Apr. 6, 2023

Toxicology is even starting to test potential hazards in silico, using computers to compare how the one chemical under investigation compares to others that have been studied.

From Slate • May 17, 2018

GSK is getting behind the idea and has recently set up a discovery performance unit focused on enhancing drug discovery through the use of "in silico" technology - including AI, machine learning and deep learning.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2017

Such physical attributes are best scanned in silico.

From Nature