acrylic
Americanadjective
noun
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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.
Tommy, who used acrylic paint and a mixture of brushes and sponges to achieve different textures, said: 'I just wanted to make something colourful, plus feet are easier to draw than faces!
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
The tweens came down from Napa, Calif., to showcase their acrylic comic-strip painting featuring Mexican soccer player Alexis Vega, who channels his Mesoamerican ancestors when scoring the victory goal.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
The Oak Harbor, Wash., company is working on a new line of sketchbooks with bleedproof paper and sets of acrylic markers and fine-line pens.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Using modern materials and technologies, including laser-cut timber and acrylic, programmable LED lighting, and electronic control systems, they adapted Hamilton's clockwork-based design for today's audience.
From Science Daily • May 2, 2026
She looked down at the turntable, at her own reflection in the tinted acrylic lid.
From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
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.
