noun
nylon
NEYE-lon
noun
1
A strong, synthetic polymer used to make fabric, rope, and plastic parts.
"The tent was made of lightweight nylon."
2
A sheer stocking made from this material (usually plural).
"She pulled on a fresh pair of nylons before the interview."
How to Use Nylon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tough man-made fabric/plastic material, or stockings made from it.
Common pairings
nylon rope
nylon stockings
nylon fabric
Word Forms
nylons plural
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The tent was made of lightweight _____.
Etymology
Coined by the DuPont company in 1938; the exact origin of the syllable "nyl-" is disputed, but it was joined to the fibre-name ending "-on" seen in rayon and Dacron.