microchip

American  

[mahy-kroh-chip] / ˈmaɪ kroʊˌtʃɪp /

noun

Electronics.

microchips plural

1. chip.

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microchip British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌtʃɪp /

noun

1. a small piece of semiconductor material carrying many integrated circuits

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verb

1. (tr) to implant (an animal) with a microchip tag linked to a national computer network for purposes of identification

microchip Scientific  

/ mī′krə-chĭp′ /

1. See integrated circuit

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microchip Cultural  

1. The basic component of modern miniaturized electronics. The “chip” is a series of electrical circuits built into a tiny wafer of silicon or another semiconductor.

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Discover More

These circuits may be made by exposing the chip to a high-temperature vapor of controlled composition. The vapor deposits a thin layer (sometimes only a few atoms thick) on the silicon. In this way complex layers of materials, such as those found in transistors can be built up in a very small area.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• microchips
  plural

Etymology

Origin of microchip

First recorded in 1965–70; micro- + chip ¹

Explanation

A microchip is a tiny piece of material that contains electronic circuits allowing it to store a lot of information. Many dogs have microchips so their owners can easily find them if they get lost. Microchips are made by etching an electronic circuit into a bit of silicon the size of a grain of rice. This tiny device can hold computer memory and processors, or be used to conduct electricity. You almost certainly use things that contain microchips just about every day, including calculators, bank ATMs, certain ID cards, cell phones, and televisions. The word microchip was coined in the 1970s from micro-, "small," and the electronics term chip.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

microchip microchips

The microchip in the dog identified the owner as Martin.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

We dreamed up the microchip and we gave the world chocolate-chip cookies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

The plant is located in the heart of Germany's "Silicon Saxony", which boasts one of Europe's most dynamic clusters for the microchip industry.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

For microchip makers and hyperscalers, earnings have been strong, and margins are high, but, over time, innovation, competition and investment could erode profit gains for even the main AI players.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

Duke knows the microchip is really a listening device.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

That has since dropped to less than 10 percent, says the government, which is aiming for an eightfold revenue increase from domestically produced microchips by 2040 from 2020 levels.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

The next big bottleneck trade might have more to do with bearings than microchips.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

Those cameras, combined with microchips attached to the jerseys of players, coaches, and referees, will take fans where they have never been before.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

County shelters offer microchips for $7.50, but require an appointment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

“He’s founder and CEO of Sinclair Scientifica, a mammoth multinational technology company that makes everything from microchips to missiles,” said Mother.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

• chip
• circuitry
• microprocessor
• silicon chip