laminate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
laminates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
laminated,
past participle, past
-
laminating
present participle
-
to separate or split into thin layers.
-
to form (metal) into a thin plate, as by beating or rolling.
-
to construct from layers of material bonded together.
-
to cover or overlay with laminae.
verb (used without object)
-
laminates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
laminated,
past participle, past
-
laminating
present participle
adjective
noun
-
laminates
plural
verb
-
(tr) to make (material in sheet form) by bonding together two or more thin sheets
-
to split or be split into thin sheets
-
(tr) to beat, form, or press (material, esp metal) into thin sheets
-
(tr) to cover or overlay with a thin sheet of material
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
laminatesimple
-
laminatessimple
-
have laminatedperfect
-
has laminatedperfect
-
am laminatingprogressive
-
are laminatingprogressive
-
is laminatingprogressive
-
have been laminatingperfect progressive
-
has been laminatingperfect progressive
Past
-
laminatedsimple
-
had laminatedperfect
-
was laminatingprogressive
-
were laminatingprogressive
-
had been laminatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of laminate
From the New Latin word lāminātus, dating back to 1660–70. See lamina, -ate 1
Explanation
To laminate is to make something, especially paper, stronger and thicker by layering sheets of clear plastic over it. You might want to laminate your flimsy library card to protect it. Today all states laminate drivers' licenses, making them a sturdy plastic card rather than the insubstantial piece of paper they used to be. You might decide to laminate a poster for a school presentation you're giving, or laminate some old photos to protect them. Most methods used to laminate involve heat and some type of sticky or adhesive substance. The Latin root is lamina, "thin slice, leaf, or layer."
Vocabulary lists containing laminate
Stairway To Leaven: Baking Vocabulary
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From the Desk of Zoe Washington
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Book Scavenger
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Drivers include a strong recovery in demand for AWS Trainium—a family of purpose-built AI accelerator chips— which should materially boost the company’s M8-grade copper-clad laminate shipments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
However, Sidony says her flooring was never inspected, and has shown the BBC her end of tenancy agreement which instructed her to remove carpets, underlay, gripper rods and laminate flooring.
From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2024
Chanel Miller has wanted to be a children’s book author and illustrator since the second grade, when she started writing stories that her teacher, Mrs. Thomas, would laminate.
From New York Times ● May 19, 2024
Quartz and quartzite countertops have become all the rage versus granite, marble or laminate.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 21, 2023
My stepfather was proud of me; he did ev-erything but laminate the poem.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Qnity also makes flexible laminates, which allow circuits to bend and fit on printed circuit boards.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 31, 2026
The furniture and partitions were made from plastics and laminates, so they cost far less.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
I walked back up the loading dock ramp with two all-access laminates, one said Bill Walton, the other said Susie Walton.”
From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2024
She also fabricated samples of thin-ply carbon fiber laminates.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 16, 2024
Ever Credit is a unit of Kingboard Holdings, a laminates maker and property investor.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2024
The agency said federal regulations allow sunroofs to be made with tempered glass, which must break into gravel-like pieces, or laminated glass, where pieces stay stuck to a plastic interlayer instead of scattering.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
I studied the pastries while pretending not to listen: tea-infused buns knotted with candied citrus, laminated pastry layered with spiced cream cheese, craggy oat muffins dotted with boysenberry preserves.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
It’s a foundation for target-date funds, pension models and financial advisers’ laminated pie chart.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
From that date the MCC will allow laminated bats - known as Type D bats - made with up to three wooden pieces to be used in open age recreational cricket.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026
He had laminated Buford’s tabletop with a magic scroll that projected a pint-sized holographic simulation of Coach Hedge.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
We are not looking for a $76 grocery bill for a single meal, a sink full of mixing bowls or several hours spent laminating and proofing dough before anyone else wakes up.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
The day before, there had been a mad dash to finish printing out programs for visitors and laminating signs for the event.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 15, 2022
And so, some people have recommended you hold off on laminating, in case you have to write a third date on there.
From Slate ● Apr. 7, 2021
Lee created an entirely new material by laminating wood veneer to produce a lighter, stronger and much more beautiful version of cardboard.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 17, 2011
One day he was looking for the small anvil that he used for laminating metals and he could not remember its name.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
