sunscreen

American  

[suhn-skreen] / ˈsʌnˌskrin /

Or sun screen

noun

1. a substance formulated to prevent sunburn, skin cancers, and other conditions caused by excessive exposure to the sun, usually by absorbing and reflecting ultraviolet radiation.

2. a lotion, cream, etc., containing such a substance.

3. a latticework or similar construction to shield a patio, atrium, or the like, from direct sunlight.

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sunscreen British  

/ ˈsʌnˌskriːn /

noun

1. a cream or lotion applied to exposed skin to protect it from the ultraviolet rays of the sun

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Etymology

Origin of sunscreen

First recorded in 1730–40; sun + screen

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sunscreen

It will stop becoming entertaining when every survivor has to wear SPF sunscreen rated at least 1,000 just to take out the trash.

From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026

For a close-to-summer in Spain, I imagined needing to stop every two hours to reapply sunscreen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Soak up some sun … or slather on the sunscreen?

From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026

Social media posts wrongly claiming that sunscreen causes cancer have been spreading widely online.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Later, she went to the store and bought him a big bottle of sunscreen, and the next time she visited, she saw it lying on his dresser, forgotten and unused.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie