semiconductor

American  

[sem-ee-kuhn-duhk-ter, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm i kənˈdʌk tər, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

noun

1. a substance, as silicon or germanium, with electrical conductivity intermediate between that of an insulator and a conductor: a basic component of various kinds of electronic circuit element semiconductor device used in communications, control, and detection technology and in computers.

2. a semiconductor device.

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semiconductor British  

/ ˌsɛmɪkənˈdʌktə /

noun

1. a substance, such as germanium or silicon, that has an electrical conductivity that increases with temperature and is intermediate between that of a metal and an insulator

2. 1. a device, such as a transistor or integrated circuit, that depends on the properties of such a substance

   2. ( as modifier )

      a semiconductor diode

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semiconductor Scientific  

/ sĕm′ē-kən-dŭk′tər /

1. Any of various solid substances, such as silicon or germanium, that conduct electricity more easily than insulators but less easily than conductors. In semiconductors, thermal energy is enough to cause a small number of electrons to escape from the valence bonds between the atoms (the valence band); they orbit instead in the higher-energy conduction band, in which they are relatively free. The resulting gaps in the valence band are called holes. Semiconductors are vital to the design of electronic components and circuitry, including transistors, laser diodes, and memory and computer processing circuits.

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semiconductor Cultural  

1. A material that conducts (see conduction) electricity, but very poorly. Silicon is the most common and familiar semiconductor. Devices made from semiconductors, such as the transistor, are the basis of the modern microelectric industry.

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Other Word Forms

• semiconduction noun

Etymology

Origin of semiconductor

First recorded in 1875–80; semi- + conductor

Example Sentences

“Terafab” is Elon Musk’s plan to vertically integrate into semiconductor production, which he believes will be a key bottleneck for AI in the coming years.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Intel is the first major chip maker to lend Elon Musk a helping hand in his bid to launch a potentially multitrillion-dollar semiconductor manufacturing project.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

The chip maker announced Tuesday that it would partner with Elon Musk on his Terafab semiconductor plant, jointly developed by Tesla, xAI, and SpaceX.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Like graphene, it forms layered structures, but unlike graphene, it is a semiconductor.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Their semiconductor and electron- ics products were household words.

From Terminal Compromise: computer terrorism: when privacy and freedom are the victims: a novel by Schwartau, Winn