acrylic

American  

[uh-kril-ik] / əˈkrɪl ɪk /

adjective

1. of or derived from acrylic acid.

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noun

1. acrylic fiber.

2. acrylic resin.

3. a paint, prepared especially for artists, in which an acrylic resin serves as a vehicle.

4. a painting done with this type of paint.

   She sold several acrylics during the show.

acrylic British  

/ əˈkrɪlɪk /

adjective

1. of, derived from, or concerned with acrylic acid

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noun

1. short for acrylic fibre acrylic resin

2. a paint or colour containing acrylic resin

acrylic Scientific  

/ ə-krĭl′ĭk /

1. An acrylic resin.

2. A paint containing acrylic resin.

3. An acrylic fiber.

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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."

Example Sentences

Ghostly acrylic animals dissolve into the background of these pieces, as natural elements attached to the works’ surfaces—sheepskin, cotton, cowhide—obscure just enough of these creatures that it’s impossible to tell what species they are.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

She started at cosmetology school, but didn’t finish because the fumes from acrylic nails sent her to the hospital, she said.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 19, 2025

A thousand small cylindrical acrylic mirrors planted in the sand compose a Morse code poem imagining a dialogue between Tangun, the legendary founder of the first Korean kingdom, and an Egyptian pharaoh.

From Barron's • Nov. 11, 2025

Corse devoted much of her life to her “White Light” series, which involves layering tiny glass beads — called microspheres — over white acrylic paint for a constantly shifting, reflective effect.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 25, 2025

Her mother’s hand is wrapped around her shoulder, and her father is pointing at her acrylic painting—an image of a house on a lake, with several geese dipping their toes into the water.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Related Words

• color
• cosmetic
• dye
• enamel
• latex
• makeup
• oil
• pigment
• stain
• varnish
• wax