IC

Tiny electronic brain

IC stands for integrated circuit, a semiconductor chip containing thousands or millions of electronic components on a tiny piece of silicon.

ICs are the building blocks of modern electronics, from computers to smartphones.

In intelligence contexts, IC refers to the intelligence community—the collective agencies involved in gathering and analyzing information: the U.S. IC includes the CIA and NSA. (Lowercase ic is internet slang for "I see.")

circuit

chip

Small broken-off piece

motherboard · processor · transistor · silicon · wafer · integrated · logic · digital · analog · capacitor

intelligence

agency

Power to act

  • CIAU.S. foreign intelligence service
  • NSAFederal cryptologic intelligence agency
  • FBIU.S. domestic intelligence agency

espionage · surveillance · classified · covert · analyst · briefing · national security

Categories
Opposites
electronic component integration

ICvacuum tube

Evacuated electronic amplifier

component integration

ICvacuum tubes

Electron-controlling glass cylinders

circuit construction method

ICtube amplifier

Audio booster using vacuum valves

Phrases
Family

ice, icy, icing, icicle, icebox

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G