stainless

American  

[steyn-lis] / ˈsteɪn lɪs /

adjective

1. having no stain; spotless.

2. made of stainless steel.

3. resistant to staining, rusting, the corrosive effect of chemicals, etc.

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noun

1. flatware made of stainless steel.

2. stainless steel.

stainless British  

/ ˈsteɪnlɪs /

adjective

1. resistant to discoloration, esp discoloration resulting from corrosion; rust-resistant

   stainless steel

2. having no blemish

   a stainless reputation

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noun

1. stainless steel

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• stainlessness
  noun
• stainlessly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of stainless

First recorded in 1580–90; stain + -less

Explanation

If an object is stainless, it is clean or resistant to discoloration. When a person is described with the adjective stainless, it means that they are exemplary, or extremely good. If you have any silver-colored appliances in your kitchen, they're probably stainless steel, specially formulated so they won't discolor or corrode. Most everyday spoons and forks are stainless steel as well. If someone refers to your sister's stainless reputation, on the other hand, he is implying that everyone thinks of her as well-behaved, almost saintly. This kind of stainless has been used since the 16th century; stainless steel wasn't invented until 1917.