The optical properties of Si nanoribbons grown on Ag(110) under ultrahigh vacuum have been experimentally determined by use of in situ surface differential reflectance spectroscopy. Real-time measurements showed a clear transition of the optical response of the Si deposit at full coverage of the Ag(110) surface, corresponding to 0.8 monolayer of silicon. The spectra measured for the complete self-assembled nanoribbon layer are different from the reflectance spectrum calculated for a layer of silicene on silver, which rules out the possible silicenelike character of this layer. Furthermore, the dielectric function of the nanoribbons is calculated from the experimental data and is similar to the one of amorphous silicon, with a red shift of about 0.6 to 0.8 eV of the main absorption feature. This result indicates that the Si nanoribbons display a preferential sp 3 hybridization as in amorphous Si and not a partial sp 2 hybridization as expected for silicene.