nylon
[nahy-lon]
- any of a class of thermoplastic polyamides capable of extrusion when molten into fibers, sheets, etc., of extreme toughness, strength, and elasticity, synthesized by the interaction of a dicarboxylic acid with a diamine: used especially for yarn, fabrics, and bristles, as for brushes.
- nylons, stockings made of nylon, especially sheer, full-length ones for women.
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Origin of nylon
1938; coined as a generic by the du Pont Chemical Co. as distinct from known words and having no prior meaning or use, but with the suffix -on suggesting other textile fibers such as rayon
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for nylon
Contemporary Examples
The mother unties the palm staves from the mattress, then takes the nylon ropes and ties the mattress to the boat.
Whatever You Do Someone Will Die. A Short Story About Impossible Choices in IraqNathan Bradley Bethea
August 31, 2014
Other techniques included laser-cut laces, braiding, and high-gloss liquid fabrics made from silk and nylon.
My hands were cuffed together; my legs were burning from the nylon rope my mother had used to tie me to my bed.
Handcuffs, Ropes, and an Open Window: How I Escaped an Unthinkable ChildhoodGenyfer Spark
January 29, 2012
She has written for NYLON, NYLON Guys, and thehandbook.co.uk, a London-based website.
Women Who Rule the Stage: Theater Goddesses Honored at Second Annual Lilly AwardsLizzie Crocker
June 9, 2011
She has written for NYLON, NYLON Guys, and thehandbook.co.uk, a London-based website.
Historical Examples
We were allergic to women from their nylon hose to their face powder.
HomesickLyn Venable
It was a real top deal, in a class with nylon or jukeboxes or bubblegum.
Greener Than You ThinkWard Moore
He caught her in his arms as they cascaded into a tangle of limbs and nylon.
The Deadly DaughtersWinston K. Marks
It's all foam rubber, nylon braid supports and magnesium tubing.
The Dope on MarsJohn Michael Sharkey
The nylon cord was hooked into a bolt near the center of the ship.
The Secret of the Ninth PlanetDonald Allen Wollheim
nylon
- a class of synthetic polyamide materials made by copolymerizing dicarboxylic acids with diamines. They can be moulded into a variety of articles, such as combs and machine parts. Nylon monofilaments are used for bristles, etc, and nylon fibres can be spun into yarn
- yarn or cloth made of nylon, used for clothing, stockings, etc
- (as modifier)a nylon dress See also nylons
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Word Origin
C20: originally a trademark
NYLON
- informal a high-earning business executive who enjoys a transatlantic lifestyle, living part of the year in New York City and part in London
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Word Origin
C20: from N (ew) Y (ork) + Lon (don)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for nylon
n.
1938, coined, according to DuPont, from random generic syllable nyl- + -on, common ending in fiber names (cf. rayon), said to be ultimately from cotton. Use (in plural) for "nylon stockings" is from 1940.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
nylon
[nī′lŏn′]
- Any of various materials made of synthetic polyamides (a type of nitrogen-containing polymer). Nylon is very strong and elastic, and can be formed into fibers, sheets, or bristles. It is used to make fabrics, plastics, and molded products.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.