stainless
Americanadjective
-
having no stain; spotless.
-
made of stainless steel.
-
resistant to staining, rusting, the corrosive effect of chemicals, etc.
noun
-
flatware made of stainless steel.
adjective
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resistant to discoloration, esp discoloration resulting from corrosion; rust-resistant
stainless steel
-
having no blemish
a stainless reputation
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stainless
Explanation
If an object is stainless, it is clean or resistant to discoloration. When a person is described with the adjective stainless, it means that they are exemplary, or extremely good. If you have any silver-colored appliances in your kitchen, they're probably stainless steel, specially formulated so they won't discolor or corrode. Most everyday spoons and forks are stainless steel as well. If someone refers to your sister's stainless reputation, on the other hand, he is implying that everyone thinks of her as well-behaved, almost saintly. This kind of stainless has been used since the 16th century; stainless steel wasn't invented until 1917.
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.
Spent nuclear fuel is stored in lead and stainless steel casks and bolted into concrete at a specially built pad at Diablo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
The towering stainless steel rocket, standing taller than a 30 story building, ignited all 33 of its engines and climbed into the sky.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
He considered different shapes for the container -- like a square or even a star -- but thought it best to avoid having seams and joints, so a stainless steel cylinder won the day.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Built of concrete and sheathed in stainless steel, it is our tallest monument alongside our greatest river.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
The air lock was made entirely of stainless steel, and it was lined with nozzles for spraying water and chemicals.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
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.
