solid-state

adjective

sol·​id-state ˌsä-ləd-ˈstāt 

1

: relating to the properties, structure, or reactivity of solid material

especially : relating to the arrangement or behavior of ions, molecules, nucleons, electrons, and holes in the crystals of a substance (such as a semiconductor) or to the effect of crystal imperfections on the properties of a solid substance

solid-state physics

2

a

: utilizing the electric, magnetic, or optical properties of solid materials

solid-state circuitry

b

: using semiconductor devices rather than electron tubes

a solid-state radio

Examples of solid-state in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Would-be buyers of older setups should know that most consumer electronics from the early solid-state era—the mid-1960s into the ’80s, when transistors appeared to be the death knell for vacuum tubes—sounded awful then and sound even worse today. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2025

This team of researchers took a different approach and added a pinch of salt—namely, an inert aluminum fluoride salt—to a liquid electrolyte containing aluminum ions, creating a solid-state electrolyte. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Feb. 2025

My favorites are small, portable drives with no moving parts called SSDs, or solid-state drives. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2025

Many major car and battery makers have been racing to mass produce solid-state batteries but no one has succeeded. —Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1951, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

solid-state

adjective

1

: relating to the characteristics and structure of solid material

2

: using semiconductor devices rather than electron tubes

a solid-state radio