silicon

American  

[sil-i-kuhn, -kon] / ˈsɪl ɪ kən, -ˌkɒn /

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 British  

/ 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 Scientific  

/ sĭl′ĭ-kŏn′ /

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 Cultural  

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

---

Etymology

Origin of silicon

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

Compare meaning

How does silicon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• silica vs. silicon

Example Sentences

“The virtuous cycle of underlying silicon, model improvement, user engagement and monetization continues to compound,” Anmuth said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

“Despite the strong run up in semiconductor stocks, we continue to see opportunity across the stack, particularly in areas exposed to custom silicon and AI networking.”

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Large solar developments can transform hundreds, or even thousands, of acres of rural land, paneling them with crystalline silicon and tempered glass.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

The process creates an explosion of extreme ultraviolet light, which the machine uses to print microscopic patterns onto silicon discs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

The results indicate that this particular bit of dust is made up of a mixture of elements, with silicon being the most prominent.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga