acrylic
Americanadjective
noun
-
acrylics
plural
-
a paint, prepared especially for artists, in which an acrylic resin serves as a vehicle.
-
a painting done with this type of paint.
She sold several acrylics during the show.
adjective
noun
-
short for acrylic fibre acrylic resin
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a paint or colour containing acrylic resin
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An acrylic resin.
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A paint containing acrylic resin.
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An acrylic fiber.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of acrylic
First recorded in 1855–60; acr(olein) + -yl + -ic
Explanation
Acrylic is a kind of plastic, fabric, fiber, or paint that's made from acrylic acid. You might knit your mom an acrylic hat if she's allergic to wool. Anything made of acrylic is synthetic — it's not a natural substance or fiber, but was made in a lab or factory from artificial materials. Acrylic paint is a quick-drying, water-soluble kind of paint that artists often use instead of oil paint or watercolors. The original meaning of acrylic was "containing acryl," from acrolein, the sharp, bitter liquid in onions, rooted in the Latin words acer, "sharp," and olere, "to smell."
Vocabulary lists containing acrylic
Visual Arts - Introductory
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Visual Arts - High School
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Art History
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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:
She added that she is noticing "people are willing to spend a little bit more" on wardrobe staples and items that "wash well and are made of cotton, not acrylic or polyester".
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
An acrylic DVF wrap dress might have been priced around $84 in 1975, per the Vintage Fashion Guild.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The Nokia 2210, an acrylic on canvas, depicts the comedian's favourite-ever phone, and features a message saying, Snobs?, referring to a legendary city nightspot.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Through a series of acrylic paintings, Gardner explores intimate connections between parents and children, partners and siblings, inviting viewers to identify themselves within his signature faceless figures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Stuff like xanthan gum, which is made from bacteria; Carbopol, which is an acrylic polymer like house paint; and gelatin, which is made from cow cartilage.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
However, cash flow from the surge in acrylics margins shouldn’t be used to continue a dividend policy that was devised during better times, Bray says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
The 25 paintings in this series, vibrant acrylics on canvas, showcase Husain's bold style while reflecting key 20th-century events and social attitudes.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2025
He works mainly in acrylics mixed with spray paint and enamels for his paintings and murals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2024
The basic materials -- usually epoxies or acrylics -- come mostly from petrochemical feedstocks.
From Science Daily ● May 15, 2024
He paints very swiftly, in violent eye-burning acrylics, reds and pinks and purples, in frenzied loops and swirls.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
