silicon

silicon
[ˈsɪlɪk(ə)n]
noun
  1. [mass noun]the chemical element of atomic number 14, a non-metal with semiconducting properties, used in making electronic circuits. Pure silicon exists in a shiny dark grey crystalline form and as an amorphous powder(Symbol: Si)
    (化学元素)硅(符号:Si)
  2. The element is used in some alloys but its great importance is in making electronic circuits. After oxygen, silicon is the most abundant element in the earth's crust; most rocks consist primarily of silica or silicates, and glass, pottery, and bricks are largely composed of silicate minerals
语源
  1. early 19th cent.: alteration of earlier silicium, from Latin silex, silic- 'flint', on the pattern of carbon and boron
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