Microchip

Microchip

Noun · /ˈmaɪkrəʊtʃɪp/

Definition

A tiny wafer of semiconducting material on which an integrated circuit is embedded; the fundamental building block of all modern electronic and computing devices.

Origin

From micro- (Greek mikros: small) + chip (fragment). The term emerged in the 1960s as transistors were miniaturised onto silicon wafers, replacing room-sized computers with fingernail-sized circuits.