A valve for an internal combustion engine formed of ceramic material for resistance to corrosion, heat and wear. The valve may include a valve tip, a lock groove, a valve stem, a valve fillet, a valve face, a valve margin and a valve head. Certain portions of the valve, such as the valve tip, the lock groove and the valve stem may, alternatively, be formed of metal. The ceramic material includes, among other compositions, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon aluminum oxynitride and silicon nitride-silicon carbide.