NYLON
What does "NYLON" mean?
A strong, lightweight synthetic polymer widely used in fabrics, ropes, and plastics.
Meanings
- A family of synthetic polyamide polymers, used for fibres and molded parts. The tent's nylon shell shrugged off the overnight rain.
- Stockings made of this material (often plural). She kept a spare pair of nylons in her desk drawer. informal
Did you know?
- Nylon was invented by chemist Wallace Carothers at DuPont and launched in 1938; when nylon stockings hit US stores in 1940, millions of pairs sold in days and sparked buying frenzies.
- The popular story that 'nylon' stands for 'New York-London' is a myth - DuPont has said the name was an arbitrary coinage with no hidden acronym at all.
Word origin
A trade name coined by DuPont in 1938 for its new polyamide fibre; the company stated the name was an arbitrary coinage, not an acronym, despite popular legends to the contrary.
Remember it
NYLON looks like it hides NY and LON(don) - a fun memory hook, even though that origin story is a myth.
A little poem
Coal, water, and air-
a chemist spun all three thin
into a woman's stocking.
haiku
Wordplay
- People swear nylon means New York-London. The truth is a real stretch - which, conveniently, so is nylon.
What it teaches
A good story spreads faster than the truth - even DuPont couldn't kill the myth it never planted.
Quick facts
What does NYLON mean?
A strong, lightweight synthetic polymer widely used in fabrics, ropes, and plastics.
Is NYLON a valid word?
Yes — NYLON is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is NYLON?
NYLON has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does NYLON come from?
A trade name coined by DuPont in 1938 for its new polyamide fibre; the company stated the name was an arbitrary coinage, not an acronym, despite popular legends to the contrary.
What can NYLON teach us?
A good story spreads faster than the truth - even DuPont couldn't kill the myth it never planted.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.