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sili|cate /s I l I kət/ (silicates ) N‑VAR A silicate is a compound of silica which does not dissolve. There are many different kinds of silicate. □  …large amounts of aluminum silicate.

sili|con /s I l I kən/ N‑UNCOUNT Silicon is an element that is found in sand and in minerals such as quartz and granite. Silicon is used to make parts of computers and other electronic equipment. □  A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.

si li|con chi p (silicon chips ) N‑COUNT A silicon chip is a very small piece of silicon inside a computer. It has electronic circuits on it and can hold large quantities of information or perform mathematical or logical operations.

sili|cone /s I l I koʊn/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Silicone is a tough artificial substance made from silicon, which is used to make polishes, and also used in cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery. □  …silicone breast implants.

silk /s I lk/ (silks ) N‑VAR Silk is a substance which is made into smooth fine cloth and sewing thread. You can also refer to this cloth or thread as silk . □  They continued to get their silks from China. □  Pauline wore a silk dress with a strand of pearls.

silk|en /s I lkən/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Silken is used to describe things that are very pleasantly smooth and soft. [LITERARY ] □  …her long silken hair.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] A silken garment, fabric, or rope is made of silk or a material that looks like silk. [LITERARY ] □  …silken cushions.

si lk-screen also silkscreen ADJ [ADJ n] Silk-screen printing is a method of printing patterns onto cloth by forcing paint or dyes through silk or similar material. □  …silk-screen prints.

silk|worm /s I lkwɜː ^r m/ (silkworms ) N‑COUNT A silkworm is the young form of a Chinese moth and it produces silk.

silky /s I lki/ (silkier , silkiest ) ADJ [usu ADJ n] If something has a silky texture, it is smooth, soft, and shiny, like silk. □  …dresses in seductively silky fabrics.

sill /s I l/ (sills ) N‑COUNT A sill is a shelf along the bottom edge of a window, either inside or outside a building. □ [+ of ] Whitlock was perched on the sill of the room's only window.

sil|ly /s I li/ (sillier , silliest ) ADJ If you say that someone or something is silly , you mean that they are foolish, childish, or ridiculous. □  My best friend tells me that I am silly to be upset about this. □  That's a silly question.

si l|ly sea|son N‑PROPER The silly season is the time around August when the newspapers are full of unimportant or silly news stories because there is not much political news to report. [BRIT ]

silo /sa I loʊ/ (silos )

1 N‑COUNT A silo is a tall round metal tower on a farm, in which grass, grain, or some other substance is stored. □  The land is flat, a chequerboard of fertile cornfields and grain silos. □  …a grain silo.

2 N‑COUNT A silo is a specially built place underground where a nuclear missile is kept. □  …underground nuclear missile silos.

silt /s I lt/ N‑UNCOUNT Silt is fine sand, soil, or mud which is carried along by a river. □  The lake was almost solid with silt and vegetation.

sil|ver ◆◇◇ /s I lvə ^r / (silvers )

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Silver is a valuable pale-grey metal that is used for making jewellery and ornaments. □  …a hand-crafted brooch made from silver. □  …silver teaspoons.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Silver consists of coins that are made from silver or that look like silver. □  …the basement where £150,000 in silver was buried.

3 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N ] You can use silver to refer to all the things in a house that are made of silver, especially the cutlery and dishes. □  He beat the rugs and polished the silver.

4 COLOUR Silver is used to describe things that are shiny and pale grey in colour. □  He had thick silver hair which needed cutting.