microchip

[mahy-kroh-chip]

noun

Electronics.

1. chip.

microchip

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌtʃɪp /

noun

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

verb

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

microchip

1. See integrated circuit

microchip

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.

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of microchip¹

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

Example Sentences

A report that Meta is in discussions to buy billions of dollars’ worth of Alphabet’s highly specialized AI microchips has led to speculation that the Google parent could encroach on Nvidia’s dominant market share.

Read more on MarketWatch

Amelia’s father is retired after helping build Applied Materials Inc., the country’s biggest supplier of equipment used to make microchips, into the $6-billion company that it is today.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He imagined sitting in a booth, getting injected with microchips.

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And then, in the 1970s, microchips got much faster and cheaper.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The deal, which was announced in early 2024 and closed in July, expanded the company’s reach in simulation software for designers of microchips, cars and airplanes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chip 
• circuitry 
• microprocessor 
• silicon chip