polyester

American  

[pol-ee-es-ter, pol-ee-es-ter] / ˈpɒl iˌɛs tər, ˌpɒl iˈɛs tər /

noun

• polyesters
  plural

1. Chemistry. a polymer in which the monomer units are linked together by the group –COO–, usually formed by polymerizing a polyhydric alcohol with a polybasic acid: used chiefly in the manufacture of resins, plastics, and textile fibers.

2. Also called poly. a fabric made from such textile fibers.

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polyester British  

/ ˌpɒlɪˈɛstə /

noun

1. any of a large class of synthetic materials that are polymers containing recurring -COO- groups: used as plastics, textile fibres, and adhesives

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polyester Scientific  

/ pŏl′ē-ĕs′tər /

1. Any of various mostly synthetic polymers that are light, strong resins resistant to weather and corrosion. Polyesters are long chains of esters and are used to make fibers and plastics. They are thermosetting. Some polyesters, such as suberin, occur naturally.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• polyesterification
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• polyesters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of polyester

First recorded in 1925–30; poly- + ester

Explanation

Polyester is a synthetic fabric used in everything from kayaks to shirts. Polyester clothes were popular in the 1970s, but they stink if you disco dance in them for too long. Polyester doesn’t breathe! You might think of polyester as a cheap alternative to a natural fabric like wool, silk, or cotton. In certain situations, though, polyester is ideal. Shirts that are a blend of cotton and polyester, for example, don't wrinkle easily; and a sofa covered in polyester is easy to clean. Polyester jackets are often quick drying or even waterproof. Polyester comes from a combination of two common words in chemistry, polymer (having many parts) and -ester (a chemical compound).

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

polyester polyesters

She added that she is noticing "people are willing to spend a little bit more" on wardrobe staples and items that "wash well and are made of cotton, not acrylic or polyester".

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Sessa was born to prowl around wild-eyed in retro polyester.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Start a new crossword streak: What’s an 11-letter word for a cheesy polyester ’fit?

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

"We have been in this business for 16 years," said Fayrouz El-Sayed, chief executive of Sadat City Chemical Fibre Factory, which produces polyester fibres from used plastic bottles.

From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026

She had a man's necktie wrapped around her ponytail like a big polyester ribbon.

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

For example, a fleece jacket is made with PET-based polyesters alongside polyolefins or polyamides.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 17, 2023

China's glutted market in polyethylene and polyesters after years of rapid petrochemical capacity expansion is prompting some of the shift.

From Reuters ● Jul. 24, 2023

Materials experts say that alternatives including glass, ceramics, linoleum and polyesters are feasible substitutes in most cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2023

"We have developed technologies for the end-of-life of two polyesters only, representing around 75 million tonnes of annual production, compared to a global plastics production of around 350 million tonnes," he says.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2021

Such polymers, called polyesters, are also found in plant fibers, which bacteria have had millions of years to evolve to feed on.

From Science Magazine ● Jul. 1, 2021