polystyrene

[pol-ee-stahy-reen, -steer-een]

noun

Chemistry.

1. a clear plastic or stiff foam, a polymer of styrene, used chiefly as an insulator in refrigerators and air conditioners.

polystyrene

/ ˌpɒlɪˈstaɪriːn /

noun

1. a synthetic thermoplastic material obtained by polymerizing styrene; used as a white rigid foam ( expanded polystyrene ) for insulating and packing and as a glasslike material in light fittings and water tanks

polystyrene

1. A brittle synthetic polymer composed of repeated styrene units. Polystyrene is transparent and rigid because the benzene rings in each styrene unit prevent the polystyrene chains from arranging themselves into a tight crystalline structure. Polystyrene has a wide variety of uses, especially as a solid foam for insulation and packaging.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polystyrene¹

First recorded in 1925–30; poly- + styrene

Example Sentences

He hired sculptor Derek Howarth to craft the statue in polystyrene sections, which Mr Pyle used to make moulds and fibreglass casts.

From BBC

Soil analysis in November 2023 found the land contained asbestos, plastic, polystyrene and asphalt.

From BBC

SB54 put an end to polystyrene — which had low recycling rates and high levels of pollution — in California.

From Los Angeles Times

In the meantime, some polystyrene manufacturers and distributors are already getting rid of the plastic in anticipation of the law coming into effect.

From Los Angeles Times

The study found higher levels of toxic flame retardants in polystyrene plastic, which is labeled with the number 6, said Liu.

From Los Angeles Times