polyester

American  

[pol-ee-es-ter, pol-ee-es-ter] / ˈpɒl iˌɛs tər, ˌpɒl iˈɛs tər /

noun

• polyesters
  plural

1. Chemistry. a polymer in which the monomer units are linked together by the group –COO–, usually formed by polymerizing a polyhydric alcohol with a polybasic acid: used chiefly in the manufacture of resins, plastics, and textile fibers.

2. Also called poly.  a fabric made from such textile fibers.

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polyester British  

/ ˌpɒlɪˈɛstə /

noun

1. any of a large class of synthetic materials that are polymers containing recurring -COO- groups: used as plastics, textile fibres, and adhesives

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polyester Scientific  

/ pŏl′ē-ĕs′tər /

1. Any of various mostly synthetic polymers that are light, strong resins resistant to weather and corrosion. Polyesters are long chains of esters and are used to make fibers and plastics. They are thermosetting. Some polyesters, such as suberin, occur naturally.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• polyesterification
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• polyesters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of polyester

First recorded in 1925–30; poly- + ester

Explanation

Polyester is a synthetic fabric used in everything from kayaks to shirts. Polyester clothes were popular in the 1970s, but they stink if you disco dance in them for too long. Polyester doesn’t breathe! You might think of polyester as a cheap alternative to a natural fabric like wool, silk, or cotton. In certain situations, though, polyester is ideal. Shirts that are a blend of cotton and polyester, for example, don't wrinkle easily; and a sofa covered in polyester is easy to clean. Polyester jackets are often quick drying or even waterproof. Polyester comes from a combination of two common words in chemistry, polymer (having many parts) and -ester (a chemical compound).

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

polyester polyesters

Sessa was born to prowl around wild-eyed in retro polyester.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Start a new crossword streak: What’s an 11-letter word for a cheesy polyester ’fit?

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

The ideal invention would be a light polyester air-conditioned undergarment, enclosed around the neck, wrists and ankles and battery operated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Much of the stitched masterpiece, which is actually coloured yarn embroidered on linen rather than a woven tapestry, is currently covered up in giant polyester sheeting, to protect it from light damage.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

And this dude, decked out in layer upon layer of flab, a thin undershirt and a pair of tight red polyester pants, poured himself into the alley between the door and the desk.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

For example, a fleece jacket is made with PET-based polyesters alongside polyolefins or polyamides.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 17, 2023

China's glutted market in polyethylene and polyesters after years of rapid petrochemical capacity expansion is prompting some of the shift.

From Reuters ● Jul. 24, 2023

The team hope their enzymes will reduce the PET in waste textiles to a soup of simple building blocks, ready to be made back into new polyesters.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2023

Materials experts say that alternatives including glass, ceramics, linoleum and polyesters are feasible substitutes in most cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2023

Such polymers, called polyesters, are also found in plant fibers, which bacteria have had millions of years to evolve to feed on.

From Science Magazine ● Jul. 1, 2021