# wafer

/ˈweɪfɝ/ (US) · /wˈeɪfɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wafer
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. biscuit

noun · CEFR B2

a very thin, light, and crisp biscuit that is often eaten with ice cream.

For teachers: a thin, crisp, often sweet biscuit or cookie, frequently used as a garnish for desserts.

- The waiter served the chocolate mousse with a vanilla wafer on top.
- The pastry chef layered delicate lemon wafers between clouds of whipped cream to create a light summer dessert.

### 2. electronics

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a thin slice of material, like silicon, used to make computer chips.

For teachers: a thin slice of semiconductor material, such as silicon, used in the fabrication of integrated circuits.

- Engineers can fit hundreds of tiny processors onto a single silicon wafer.
- The manufacturing facility maintains a sterile environment to prevent dust from contaminating the silicon wafers during the etching process.

### 3. religious bread

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a thin piece of bread used in some Christian church services.

For teachers: a thin disc of unleavened bread consecrated and consumed during the Eucharist.

- The priest placed a small white wafer in the hands of each person.
- During the liturgy, the distribution of the sacred wafers followed a strictly traditional sequence of prayers.

### 4. seal for letters

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a small, sticky disc used in the past to close letters or attach papers.

For teachers: a small disc of dried paste or gelatin used as an adhesive seal for documents.

- He closed the old envelope with a red wafer before sending it.
- The historian noted that the 18th-century correspondence was still secured by its original wax and paper wafers.

## Examples

- The factory produces hundreds of silicon wafers every day.
- Engineers must work in a cleanroom to prevent dust from landing on the silicon wafer during the etching process.
- As manufacturing technology advances, the industry has transitioned to larger wafer diameters to increase the number of individual chips produced per batch, thereby improving cost efficiency.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.