nylon

noun

ny·​lon ˈnī-ˌlän 

1

: any of numerous strong tough elastic synthetic polyamide materials that are fashioned into fibers, filaments, bristles, or sheets and used especially in textiles and plastics

2

nylons plural : stockings made of nylon

Examples of nylon in a Sentence

The rope is made of nylon.

Recent Examples on the Web

The outerwear piece is made with a blend of cotton and nylon material that looks sleek and has a duck filling that feels plush. —Gabriella Maestri, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2025

There are also plenty of second-skin layers in ivory, chocolate brown or black with asymmetric zipper details, including a flirty short dresses, cropped T-shirts, bralettes and Capri leggings, technical nylon miniskirts and wide-leg pants. —Booth Moore, WWD, 23 Jan. 2025

The rapper differentiated his look from the all-black look and wore a gray-blue nylon utility jacket that included a fur collar and matched his wide-leg pants of the same fabric. —Charna Flam, People.com, 22 Jan. 2025

On the original Zen, the seat was pretty much just a length of nylon webbing the same width as the wings. —Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

coined word

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nylon

noun

ny·​lon ˈnī-ˌlän 

1

: any of numerous strong tough elastic synthetic materials used especially in textiles and plastics

2

plural : stockings made of nylon

nylon adjective

Etymology

coined from meaningless word elements

Medical Definition

nylon

noun

ny·​lon ˈnī-ˌlän 

: any of numerous strong tough elastic synthetic polyamide materials that are fashioned into fibers, filaments, bristles, or sheets

nylon sutures and prosthetic devices