BusinessAugust 18, 2026

wafer

WAY-fer

Definition

A very thin, circular slice of semiconductor material, typically silicon, which serves as the base or substrate for manufacturing integrated circuits and computer chips.

Etymology

Originating from the Middle English 'wafre', the word originally referred to a thin, crisp cake or biscuit. Its application to electronics emerged because the thin, circular slices of semiconductor material resemble the shape of these traditional thin cakes.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe 'wafer foundry' as a highly profitable segment of the AI industrial chain, highlighting how manufacturers like TSMC dominate by producing the essential foundational components for advanced chips.

Earning 130 Million Yuan Daily: AI Servers Are Selling Like Hotcakes - High-Demand AI Server Market Boom

Read the full article ↗

36Kr

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.