vinyl

American  

[vahyn-l] / ˈvaɪn l /

noun

• vinyls
  plural

1. Chemistry. the vinyl group, the univalent group C 2 H 3 , derived from ethylene.

2. any resin formed by polymerizing vinyl compounds, or any of a group of plastics made from such resins.

   This flooring is vinyl, although it looks like wood.

3. 1. phonograph records made of vinyl, considered collectively.

      I'd like to sell my collection of vinyl.

   2. vinyl as the material or medium for such records or recordings.

      songs recorded on vinyl.

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adjective

1. Chemistry. containing the vinyl group.

vinyl British  

/ ˈvaɪnɪl /

noun

1. (modifier) of, consisting of, or containing the monovalent group of atoms CH 2 CH-

   a vinyl polymer

   vinyl chloride

2. (modifier) of, consisting of, or made of a vinyl resin

   a vinyl raincoat

3. any vinyl polymer, resin, or plastic, esp PVC

4. (collectively) conventional records made of vinyl as opposed to compact discs

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vinyl Scientific  

/ vī′nəl /

1. The group C ₂ H ₃, derived from ethylene.

2. Any of various chemical compounds, typically highly reactive, that contain this group and are used in making plastics.

3. Any of various plastics made of vinyl, typically tough, flexible, and shiny, often used in upholstery and clothing.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• vinyls
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of vinyl

1860–65; < Latin vīn ( um ) wine + -yl

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Explanation

Vinyl is a common type of plastic that's often found on kitchen floors, in plumbing pipes and fittings, and in medical equipment. If you have a record player, you might enjoy hunting for vintage vinyl records at your local music store or thrift shop. It would be hard to get through an entire day without using, or at least seeing, vinyl. From underground sewer pipes to raincoats, boots, toys, and water bottles, vinyl is all around us. Before CDs (and streaming services), music was pressed on vinyl, and some people think music sounds better this way. This versatile material was discovered accidentally in the 1920s by a scientist who experimented with it by making shoe heels and golf balls. Vinyl is short for polyvinyl, or "a polymer of vinyl chloride."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vinyl vinyls

Until we can applaud the performer’s return to the stage, attending a vinyl bar’s listening session for “Fudge” is about as close to that elating experience as a person can get for now.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026

Most anyone born in the 20th century would take one look at her plush retro alarm clock radio and instinctively feel the urge to whack its elongated vinyl “snooze” button.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

It was like Christmas every Wednesday afternoon as we shredded packages and stacked CDs, occasional stickers and vinyl, splitting the spoils and loading them into our computers — by hand even!

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

The intentional burning of vinyl chloride in derailed tanker cars sent a cloud over the town of 4,500 people.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Wish I could hear his voice in real life instead of just on spinning vinyl.

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson

Asia drove the rise in vinyls and CDs, while these formats were almost non-existent in the North Africa and Middle East market, where streaming accounts for 97.5 percent of revenue.

From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026

Unless you worked for Ford’s plastics, paint and vinyls division in the 1980s, you probably don’t know the name Jim Moylan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 3, 2026

There were more than a dozen other variants, with different formats, colored vinyls, posters and other merchandise included with the purchase and different versions of the lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025

"We need at least a discount refund, or be able to refund altogether since the CDs and vinyls delivered are not what was listed," added a second.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2024

Back then, most DJs could spin for only a few hours; they were limited by the number of vinyls they could buy.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

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