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urethane

American  
[yoor-uh-theyn] / ˈyʊər əˌθeɪn /
Also urethan

noun

Chemistry.

  1. any derivative of carbamic acid having the formula CH 2 NO 2 R.

  2. Also called ethyl carbamate, ethyl urethane.  a white, crystalline, water-soluble powder, C 3 H 7 NO 2 : used chiefly as a solvent, in organic synthesis, as a fungicide and pesticide, and formerly in cancer treatment.

urethane British  
/ ˈjʊərɪˌθeɪn, ˈjʊərɪˌθæn /

noun

  1. short for polyurethane

  2. another name for ethyl carbamate

"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
urethane Scientific  
/ yr′ĭ-thān′ /

  1. A colorless or white crystalline compound used in organic synthesis. Formerly it was also used to relieve symptoms associated with leukemia. Also called ethyl carbamate. Chemical formula: C 3 H 7 NO 2 .

Etymology

Origin of urethane

< French uréthane (1833); see urea, ethane

Vocabulary lists containing urethane

Elements of the Universe: Aether ("Sky")

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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.

A recent study demonstrates that soft skin pads doubling as sensors made from thermoplastic urethane can be efficiently manufactured using 3D printers.

From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2024

I did use the urethane paint, and I feel its stickiness is the reason the paint continues to bond to the plastic.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 18, 2023

Each one is made from the random pouring of colored urethane, creating an object that sits somewhere between industrial manufacture and handmade fabrication.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2023

Dakine’s Procomp Leash is a 3/16-inch thick urethane cord fitted to a neoprene cuff to provide extra comfort and minimal rashes around ankles.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2022

Another mutagen known to produce cancer is urethane.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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.