latex
Americannoun
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latices,
plural
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latexes
plural
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a milky liquid in certain plants, as milkweeds, euphorbias, poppies, or the plants yielding India rubber, that coagulates on exposure to air.
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Chemistry. any emulsion in water of finely divided particles of synthetic rubber or plastic.
noun
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a whitish milky fluid containing protein, starch, alkaloids, etc, that is produced by many plants. Latex from the rubber tree is used in the manufacture of rubber
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a suspension of synthetic rubber or plastic in water, used in the manufacture of synthetic rubber products, etc
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The colorless or milky sap of certain trees and plants, such as the milkweed and the rubber tree, that hardens when exposed to the air. Latex usually contains gum resins, waxes, and oils, and sometimes toxic substances.
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A manufactured emulsion of synthetic rubber or plastic droplets in water that resembles the latex of plants. It is used in paints, adhesives, and synthetic rubber products.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of latex
1655–65; < New Latin, special use of Latin latex water, juice, liquid
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:
Curry pressed a bewitching soulfulness through all those layers of spirit gum and latex.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
"In order to turn the natural latex into something that we refer to as rubber it goes through this process called sulphur vulcanisation," she explained.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
When forensic experts climbed on board, wearing white hazmat suits and blue latex gloves, they found that the evidence inside was almost entirely unspoiled, according to German investigators.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
A University of Michigan study suggests that the nitrile and latex gloves scientists commonly use could be causing microplastics levels to appear higher than they actually are.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 29, 2026
Root rolled the memory latex onto his index finger, where it immediately assumed the shape and flesh tone of the host digit.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Short-wavelength radiation is scattered when the particle size becomes close to the radiation wavelength, making latexes with particle sizes larger than the incoming wavelengths difficult to produce.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2023
As a result, for the first time, the team were able to use light to produce polystyrene latexes with particle sizes greater than one micrometer and with highly uniform diameters.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2023
"The system could potentially be used in all areas where latexes are used, such as films, coatings, supports for diagnostics, and more," Lacôte says.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2023
It is inevitable that the manipulation of the latices should be slightly in error on occasions, or that a small mistake might occur in preparing the solution of acid.
From The Preparation of Plantation Rubber by Sidney Morgan
They are: A. The Hot-Water Treatment.—This method has been in constant use on estates which have old trees giving rich latices.
From The Preparation of Plantation Rubber by Sidney Morgan
Obviously, in such a case, there must be an initial difference between the two latices as regards the percentage of proteins present; or there must be some small unrecognised difference at some stage of working.
From The Preparation of Plantation Rubber by Sidney Morgan
The remedy obviously is to reduce the variation in latices by diluting them all to a standard rubber content as is done in sheet preparation.
From The Preparation of Plantation Rubber by Sidney Morgan
But it may be believed that under ordinary weather conditions most latices are infected before reaching the factory.
From The Preparation of Plantation Rubber by Sidney Morgan
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