Silica is silicon dioxide, a compound of silicon which is found in sand, quartz, and flint, and which is used to make glass.
silica in British English
(ˈsɪlɪkə)
noun
1.
the dioxide of silicon, occurring naturally as quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite. It is a refractory insoluble material used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, and abrasives
2. short for silica glass
Word origin
C19: New Latin, from Latin: silex
silica in American English
(ˈsɪlɪkə)
noun
a glassy, very hard mineral, silicon dioxide, SiO2, found in a variety of forms, as in quartz, opal, chalcedony, sand, or chert
Word origin
ModL < L silex, flint: see silex
Examples of 'silica' in a sentence
silica
The colonel had packed the ammunition in silica gel, guarding against condensation, the worst enemy of the rifleman.
Shah, Idries KARA KUSH (1990)
"He'd never seen the silica grass in Quangngai, razor sharp and tangled up so thick you couldn't see the ground.
Metz, Don KING OF THE MOUNTAIN (1990)
All related terms of 'silica'
silica gel
an amorphous form of silica capable of absorbing large quantities of water: used in drying gases and oils, as a carrier for catalysts and an anticaking agent for cosmetics
fused silica
→ silica glass
silica glass
a very clear , strong glass produced when pure silica is fused at high temperature, used as in optical instruments
nitreous silica
a colourless glass composed of almost pure silica , resistant to very high temperatures and transparent to near-ultraviolet radiation
vitreous silica
→ silica glass
quartz glass
a colourless glass composed of almost pure silica , resistant to very high temperatures and transparent to near-ultraviolet radiation