Kwolek

American

[kwoh-lek, kwaw-lek] / ˈkwoʊ lɛk, ˈkwɔ lɛk /

noun

Stephanie Louise 1923–2014, American chemist.

Kwolek Scientific

/ kwŏl′ĕk′ /

American chemist who pioneered the use of polymers to make synthetic fibers. She developed the first liquid crystal polymer fiber, now used to make many products, including bulletproof vests.

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.

Stephanie Louise Kwolek worked as a research chemist at DuPont.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

The material was developed by Susan Kwolek while she worked to find a replacement for steel in tires.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

No Prudence Wright, Revolutionary War militia commander and mother of 11; no aviator Amelia Earhart; no Stephanie Kwolek, inventor of Kevlar; no Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross.

From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2016

Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar, saved an untold number of lives, and is gone.

From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2014

In a statement, DuPont chief executive Ellen Kullman described Kwolek as "a creative and determined chemist and a true pioneer for women in science".

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2014

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023