semiconductor

American

[sem-ee-kuhn-duhk-ter, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm i kənˈdʌk tər, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

noun

a substance, as silicon or germanium, with electrical conductivity intermediate between that of an insulator and a conductor: a basic component of various kinds of electronic circuit element semiconductor device used in communications, control, and detection technology and in computers.
a semiconductor device.

semiconductor British

/ ˌsɛmɪkənˈdʌktə /

noun

a substance, such as germanium or silicon, that has an electrical conductivity that increases with temperature and is intermediate between that of a metal and an insulator
1. a device, such as a transistor or integrated circuit, that depends on the properties of such a substance
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a semiconductor diode

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

semiconductor Scientific

/ sĕm′ē-kən-dŭk′tər /

Any of various solid substances, such as silicon or germanium, that conduct electricity more easily than insulators but less easily than conductors. In semiconductors, thermal energy is enough to cause a small number of electrons to escape from the valence bonds between the atoms (the valence band); they orbit instead in the higher-energy conduction band, in which they are relatively free. The resulting gaps in the valence band are called holes. Semiconductors are vital to the design of electronic components and circuitry, including transistors, laser diodes, and memory and computer processing circuits.

semiconductor Cultural

A material that conducts (see conduction) electricity, but very poorly. Silicon is the most common and familiar semiconductor. Devices made from semiconductors, such as the transistor, are the basis of the modern microelectric industry.

Other Word Forms

semiconduction noun

Etymology

Origin of semiconductor

First recorded in 1875–80; semi- + conductor

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

South Korea reported solid export growth in February despite fewer working days, with semiconductor shipments reaching a monthly record on strong demand.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chip-sector investors this year have been particularly enamored by makers of memory products and equipment for semiconductor manufacturing.

From MarketWatch

The estimated percentage of high-end semiconductor chips that are manufactured in Taiwan.

From Barron's

Getting there is the multitrillion-dollar challenge the entire semiconductor industry now faces.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023