silica

[ sil-i-kuh ]

noun

1. the dioxide form of silicon, SiO 2 , occurring especially as quartz sand, flint, and agate: used usually in the form of its prepared white powder chiefly in the manufacture of glass, water glass, ceramics, and abrasives.

silica

/ ˈsɪlɪkə /

noun

1. the dioxide of silicon, occurring naturally as quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite. It is a refractory insoluble material used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, and abrasives
2. See silica glass
   short for silica glass

silica

/ sĭl′ĭ-kə /

1. A chemical compound that is the main constituent of most of the Earth's rocks. Silica occurs naturally in five crystalline forms (quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, and stishovite), in a cryptocrystalline form (chalcedony), and in an amorphous form (opal). It is also the main chemical compound in sand. Silica is used to make glass, concrete, and other materials. Also called silicon dioxide. Chemical formula: SiO 2 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of silica¹

1795–1805; < New Latin, derivative of Latin silex silex

Word History and Origins

Origin of silica¹

C19: New Latin, from Latin: silex

Example Sentences

The team encoded different images into DNA and encapsulated each file in a small silica particle labeled with single-stranded DNA “barcodes” corresponding to its contents.

From MIT Technology Review

Then remove them, brush off any remaining sticky gel, and save the leftover silica for another day.

From Popular-Science

It’s a mere speck of matter — a piece of silica crystal no bigger than a virus, levitated in a light beam.

From Quanta Magazine

It’s also made from a different compound, with a lower silica content, and uses a tread pattern with larger voids and fewer sipes.

From Outside Online

Although they, too, lost sulfur to the surrounding solution, they kept their silica crust.

From Science News

Silica is an invariable constituent of the ash, but in most plants occurs but in small quantity.

From Project Gutenberg

Quartz consists of pure silica, and when in large masses is one of the most indestructible rocks.

From Project Gutenberg

Silica and the alkalies occur generally, though not invariably, in all three.

From Project Gutenberg

In general, sand consists of finely broken crystals of silica or quartz.

From Project Gutenberg

Many natural waters present us with silica in a dissolved state, although it is not soluble in pure water.

From Project Gutenberg