plural wafers
Synonyms of wafernext
1
a
: a thin crisp cake, candy, or cracker
b
: a round thin piece of unleavened bread used in the celebration of the Eucharist
2
: an adhesive disk of dried paste with added coloring matter used as a seal
3
a
: a thin disk or ring resembling a wafer and variously used (as for a valve or diaphragm)
b
: a thin slice of semiconductor (such as silicon) used as a base for an electronic component or circuit
wafer-like adjective
or less commonly waferlike
wafer-like cookies
a wafer-like electronic sensor

wafer

2 of 2

verb

transitive verb

1
: to seal, close, or fasten with a wafer
2
: to divide (something, such as a silicon rod) into wafers

Examples of wafer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This process, which generates perfectly crystalline silicon ingots to be sliced like fragile metallic salamis into thin wafers, is entrusted largely to one firm in Taiwan and two in Japan. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 This bundle is for your friend who has a lot of holiday baking ahead of them, with everything from 66% cacao organic baking wafers to cocoa rouge Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus a chocolate tote to carry it all. — Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
Fabrication of advanced artificial intelligence chips and high bandwidth memory requires continuous, high-volume flows of ultra-high purity gases, such as nitrogen, argon, and helium, for lithography, chemical vapor deposition, and wafer purging. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 The team evaluated both cell types using an I-V tester, wafer metrology system, transmission electron microscopy, and simulation software. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wafer

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French wafer, walfre, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch wafele waffle

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1748, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wafer was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wafer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wafer. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

wafer

noun
wa·​fer
ˈwā-fər
1
a
: a thin crisp cake or cracker
b
: a round thin piece of bread used in the sacrament of Communion
2
: something (as a piece of candy or a computer chip) resembling a wafer especially in thin round form

Medical Definition

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