silicon

[sil-i-kuhn, -kon]

noun

Chemistry.

1. a nonmetallic element, having amorphous and crystalline forms, occurring in a combined state in minerals and rocks and constituting more than one fourth of the earth's crust: used in steelmaking, alloys, etc. Si; 28.086; 14; 2.4 at 20°C.

silicon

/ ˈsɪlɪkən /

noun

1. 1. a brittle metalloid element that exists in two allotropic forms; occurs principally in sand, quartz, granite, feldspar, and clay. It is usually a grey crystalline solid but is also found as a brown amorphous powder. It is used in transistors, rectifiers, solar cells, and alloys. Its compounds are widely used in glass manufacture, the building industry, and in the form of silicones. Symbol: Si; atomic no: 14; atomic wt: 28.0855; valency: 4; relative density: 2.33; melting pt: 1414°C; boiling pt: 3267°C

   2. (modifier; sometimes capital) denoting an area of a country that contains a density of high-technology industry

silicon

1. A metalloid element that occurs in both gray crystalline and brown noncrystalline forms. It is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust and can be found only in silica and silicates. Silicon is used in glass, semiconductors, concrete, and ceramics. Atomic number 14; atomic weight 28.086; melting point 1,410°C; boiling point 2,355°C; specific gravity 2.33; valence 4.

2. See Periodic Table

silicon

1. A chemical element from which semiconductors are made. It is also used in the manufacture of glass, concrete, brick, and pottery.

Word History and Origins

Origin of silicon¹

1817; silic(a) + -on, as in carbon and boron

Word History and Origins

Origin of silicon¹

C19: from _silica , on the model of boron, carbon

Example Sentences

“That makes its silicon a tool to deepen an existing moat, not a new business it has to sell from scratch.”

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Among his accomplishments was working with Apple’s in-house silicon team to replace Intel chips inside Mac computers with chips designed by Apple itself.

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Their model indicates that over billions of years, elements such as silicon and magnesium gradually escaped from the core into the mantle.

Read more on Science Daily

All of Tesla Inc. depends on making a tiny silicon chip that will power everything from driverless technology to robots, Chief Executive Elon Musk said last week.

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All of Tesla Inc. depends on making a tiny silicon chip that will power everything from driverless technology to robots, Chief Executive Elon Musk said last week.

Read more on MarketWatch