nylon

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points: 8
Words With Friends: 10
Letters: 5

Pronunciation

/ˈnaɪlɒn/(UK)

See all 2 pronunciations

/ˈnaɪlɒn/(UK) · /ˈnaɪlɑn/

Definition of nylon

3 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

noun

(countable, uncountable)Originally, the DuPont company trade name for polyamide, a copolymer whose molecules consist of alternating diamine and dicarboxylic acid monomers bonded together; now generically used for this type of polymer.

See all 3 definitions

noun

(countable, uncountable)Originally, the DuPont company trade name for polyamide, a copolymer whose molecules consist of alternating diamine and dicarboxylic acid monomers bonded together; now generically used for this type of polymer.
(countable, in-plural, uncountable)A stocking originally fabricated from nylon; also used generically for any long, sheer stocking worn on a woman's legs.

“I tore a hole in my nylons while walking home through the woods.”
“1970-1975, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure He put on make-up, nylons, panties, a dress.”
“What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons. You're born alone and you die alone and this world just drops a bunch of rules on top of you to make you forget those facts.”
(countable, uncountable)A Queen's Counsel, King's Counsel or Senior Counsel who was appointed as a courtesy, rather than on merit.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

Coined by the company DuPont in 1938. According to the company, the name was formed from the random generic syllable nyl- + the common fiber suffix -on (as in rayon and Dacron), said to be ultimately from cotton.