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silicon

n.
US //ˈsɪɫəkən// UK //sˈɪlɪkən// sil·i·con
  1. 1 chemical element (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    a natural substance found in the earth that is used to make glass and electronic parts.

    a tetravalent metalloid element used extensively in the manufacture of glass, concrete, and ceramics.

    Example

    Silicon is the second most common element in the Earth's crust after oxygen.

    Example

    The purity of the silicon used in industrial manufacturing determines the quality of the resulting glass and ceramic products.

    Usage

    Uncountable when referring to the element in general.
    • si
    Pitfall
    The kitchen tools are made of silicon.
    The kitchen tools are made of silicone.

    Do not confuse 'silicon' (the hard element used in computers) with 'silicone' (the flexible, rubber-like plastic).

  2. 2 computing technology (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Technical Computing

    a word for computer chips or the technology industry.

    the semiconductor material used in integrated circuits; often used metonymically for the hardware or the industry itself.

    Example

    The company is designing its own silicon to make the new phones faster.

    Example

    The shift toward custom silicon has allowed laptop manufacturers to achieve significantly better battery life than they could with off-the-shelf processors.

    Teacher's tip

    In business and tech news, 'silicon' often refers to the physical hardware or the chips themselves, as opposed to the software.
Etymology 1

Coined by Scottish chemist Thomas Thomson as a modification of the earlier name silicium, from the stem of Latin silex (“flint, silica”) + -on from carbon.

Etymology 2

From the silicon chips used in computers.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 19, 2026