semiconductor
noun
semi·con·duc·tor
ˌse-mē-kən-ˈdək-tər 
ˌse-ˌmī-,
-mi-
: any of a class of solids (such as germanium or silicon) whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator in being nearly as great as that of a metal at high temperatures and nearly absent at low temperatures
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A semiconductor is a crystal material whose ability to conduct electricity rises as its temperature goes up. That is, it sometimes acts as a conductor and sometimes as an insulator. Its conducting ability can be much increased by chemical treatment. A manufactured chip of silicon, less than half an inch square, may contain millions of microscopic transistors, which can serve control and memory functions when installed in a computer, automobile, cell phone, DVD player, or microwave oven.
Examples of semiconductor in a Sentence
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An investment by Nvidia in Intel and an agreement to co-develop some semiconductor products sent Intel racing higher, a week after Oracle’s AI-revenue guidance did the same for that stock, signaling to investors the danger of calling the top in AI enthusiasm.
—
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
Even more importantly, the break-up of Intel will go a long way to giving the United States the semiconductor ecosystem that underpins every happy scenario for software breakthroughs that benefit the American people and the world.
—Charlene Barshefsky, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
Current EVs feature a PEM that uses semiconductors to take a DC flow from a battery and turn it into a sign wave AC flow to feed the motors.
—Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Among other things, research hardware aboard the Cygnus XL spacecraft will study the production of semiconductor crystals in microgravity and demonstrate a new way to keep cryogenic propellants properly conditioned during long-duration spaceflight.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
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Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
Even more importantly, the break-up of Intel will go a long way to giving the United States the semiconductor ecosystem that underpins every happy scenario for software breakthroughs that benefit the American people and the world.
—Charlene Barshefsky, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
Current EVs feature a PEM that uses semiconductors to take a DC flow from a battery and turn it into a sign wave AC flow to feed the motors.
—Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Among other things, research hardware aboard the Cygnus XL spacecraft will study the production of semiconductor crystals in microgravity and demonstrate a new way to keep cryogenic propellants properly conditioned during long-duration spaceflight.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for semiconductor
Cite this Entry
“Semiconductor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semiconductor. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
semiconductor
noun
semi·con·duc·tor
ˌsem-i-kən-ˈdək-tər
ˌsem-ˌī-
: any of a class of solids (as germanium) that have an ability to conduct electricity between that of a conductor and that of an insulator
semiconducting
adjective
-tiŋ
Medical Definition
semiconductor
noun
semi·con·duc·tor
-kən-ˈdək-tər
: any of a class of solids (as germanium or silicon) whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator in being nearly as great as that of a metal at high temperatures and nearly absent at low temperatures
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