chip
UK[tʃɪp]US[tʃɪp]
n
A small piece of something hard or brittle that has been broken off.
n
A thin slice of food, typically potato, that is fried until crisp.
n
A tiny, thin wafer of semiconducting material used to make an integrated circuit.
v
To break or cut a small piece from a hard or brittle material.
Etymology
The word 'chip' emerged in Middle English, with its earliest recorded use in the 14th century. It is believed to be an imitative or expressive formation, echoing the short, sharp sound associated with a small piece of wood or stone being struck or broken off. This origin connects the word directly to the physical action and its resulting fragment. Over centuries, its application broadened from wood and stone to include food items like potatoes and, in the modern technological era, to the silicon wafers central to electronics, all retaining the core concept of a small, thin piece.
Analysis
The word 'chip' is a simplex word of Middle English origin, likely onomatopoeic or imitative in nature, representing the sound or action of a small piece breaking off.
Examples
A chip of paint fell from the old windowsill.
Would you like some fish and chips for dinner?
The new computer uses a more powerful processing chip.