noun
Common
silicon
SIH-lih-kuhn
Silicon (noun) means a hard, non-metallic chemical element (symbol Si) that is the basis of computer chips and most rock and sand on Earth. Example: “Sand contains a lot of silicon, which factories turn into solar panels.”
noun
1
A hard, non-metallic chemical element (symbol Si) that is the basis of computer chips and most rock and sand on Earth.
"Sand contains a lot of silicon, which factories turn into solar panels."
"Silicon chips power almost every modern computer."
"Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust after oxygen."
How to use silicon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe chemical element that computer chips and most rocks and sand are made from.
Common mistake
Silicon is the element; silicone is the flexible synthetic material used in kitchenware and implants — they are not the same thing.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
silicon chip
Silicon Valley
silicon wafer
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Word forms
- Plural
- silicons
Fill the gap
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Sand contains a lot of _____, which factories turn into solar panels.
Etymology
Coined by the Scottish chemist Thomas Thomson, adapting an earlier name from Latin silex, "flint," by analogy with "carbon."
Synonyms
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Si
atomic number 14
Related words
Rhymes for silicon
See all rhymes for silicon →Frequently asked questions
What does “silicon” mean?
The word “silicon” means a hard, non-metallic chemical element (symbol Si) that is the basis of computer chips and most rock and sand on Earth. In plain terms, the chemical element that computer chips and most rocks and sand are made from.
How do you pronounce “silicon”?
“Silicon” is pronounced SIH-lih-kuhn (/ˈsɪlɪkən/ in IPA).
How do you use “silicon” in a sentence?
Here is “silicon” used in a sentence: “Silicon chips power almost every modern computer.”
What part of speech is “silicon”?
“Silicon” is a noun.
Where does the word “silicon” come from?
The word “silicon” comes from Latin. Coined by the Scottish chemist Thomas Thomson, adapting an earlier name from Latin silex, "flint," by analogy with "carbon.".
Is “silicon” a common word?
“Silicon” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "silicon" and "silicone"?
Silicon is a hard, non-metallic chemical element (symbol Si) that is the basis of computer chips and most rock and sand, while silicone is a man-made, rubbery material built from silicon and oxygen, used in sealants, kitchenware, and medical products. Chips are silicon; flexible bakeware is silicone.
Why is it called "Silicon Valley"?
Silicon Valley, the technology region in northern California, is named after silicon, the element used to make computer chips. The name reflects the semiconductor companies that the area's industry was originally built around.
Is silicon a metal?
No — silicon is a non-metallic element, usually classified as a metalloid because it shows a mixture of metallic and non-metallic properties. Its ability to conduct electricity under some conditions but not others is exactly why it is the basis of computer chips.
Is sand made of silicon?
Mostly yes, in combined form: most sand is largely silica, a compound of silicon and oxygen, and silicon underlies most rock and sand on Earth. Pure elemental silicon is rarely found loose in nature and is refined from these minerals for uses such as chip-making.
