Moore's law

American  

[moorz law] / ˈmʊərz ˈlɔ /

noun

Computers.

1. the principle of exponential growth, both observed and projected, in the density of semiconductors and digital processors: describes the doubling of the number of components in an integrated circuit approximately every two years.

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Moore's law Scientific  

/ môrz /

1. The observation that steady technological improvements in miniaturization leads to a doubling of the density of transistors on new integrated circuits every 18 months. In the mid-1960s, Gordon Moore (born 1929), one of the founders of Intel Corporation, observed that the density of transistors had been doubling every year, although the pace slowed slightly in the following years. The 18-month pattern held true into the 21st century, though as technology approaches the point where circuits are only a few atoms wide, new technologies, possibly not involving transistors at all, may be required for further miniaturization.

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Etymology

Origin of Moore's law

First recorded in 1965–70; named after U.S. businessman, engineer, and microchip manufacturer Gordon E. Moore (1929–2023)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Moore's law

For roughly 60 years, Moore's law has guided chip development.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2026

"It's what the semiconductor industry calls Moore's law, essentially doubling the transistor density over time, and that's a hard goal to achieve," said Jue Wang, a partner at Silicon Valley at Bain & Company.

From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2023

Moore’s law has become a well-known summary of how those chips become ever more compact and powerful.

From New York Times ● May 16, 2022

The advance should sustain Moore’s law for another decade or so, Hutcheson predicts.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 14, 2021

As Paul was growing up, a half generation before Reggie came of age, there was a coming together of these two fundamental computing principles, Moore’s law and Metcalfe’s law.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel