microchip meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

microchip

noun

US /ˈmaɪkɹoʊˌt͡ʃɪp/

Etymology From micro- + chip.

An integrated circuit.

A microprocessor.

By the early 2020s, the strategic priority level of microchip fabrication prowess and capacity had only grown.
The base of the antenna contains a few microchips, whose purpose Hiro cannot divine by looking at them.1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 360:

2 more examples

And so the microchip, say, reflects a certain electronically driven speed of society, just as the invention of a flint axe, reflected a society that was rhythmed fully by biological and environmental temporalities.2017, Robert Hassan, The Age of Distraction:
Previous attempts at designing self-cooling microchips have largely relied on a two-pronged approach, involving designing the cooling elements separately from the electronic elements, and then combining after the initial fabrication process.2024 February 20, Sarah Wells, “Self-cooling microchip provides a tiny solution to a giant problem”, in Inverse:

verb

Etymology From micro- + chip.

To fit (an animal) with a microchip.

Still, doing something to protect your cat is better than doing nothing, so you should have your cat microchipped in the groin area with a registered ID.1997, Paulette Cooper, Paul Noble, Jack Fleming, 277 Secrets Your Cat Wants You to Know:
In Britain, where the British BeeKeepers Association (BBKA) has been urging members to microchip their hives for some time, the continuing mystery and the belief that the crimes are inside jobs are taking their toll.2017 September 23, “From north Wales to Norfolk, distraught beekeepers ask: who’s stealing our hives?”, in The Observer:

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In February, Skip Daly, a Democrat in the Nevada State Assembly, introduced a bill to make involuntary microchip implants illegal; he later amended it to include voluntary microchipping as well.2019 May 21, Zoltan Istvan, “A Chip in My Hand Unlocks My House. Why Does That Scare People?”, in The New York Times:
White people be like: “My parter^([sic]) just microchipped me for pet play”2026 May 1, 0byes, X:

To cause microscopic chips (abrasions) in a material.

Material removal occurs when the abrasive particles, suspended in the slurry, are struck on the downstroke of the vibrating tool. The velocity imparted to the abrasive particles causes microchipping and erosion as the particles impinge on the workpiece.1992, ASM Materials Engineering Dictionary: