rubber

1 of 2

noun (1)

rub·​ber ˈrə-bər How to pronounce rubber (audio)
1
a
: one that rubs
b
: an instrument or object (such as a rubber eraser) used in rubbing, polishing, scraping, or cleaning
c
: something that prevents rubbing or chafing
2
[from its use in erasers]
a
: an elastic substance that is obtained by coagulating the milky juice of any of various tropical plants (as of the genera Hevea and Ficus), is essentially a polymer of isoprene, and is prepared as sheets and then dried

called also caoutchouc, india rubber

b
: any of various synthetic rubberlike substances
c
: natural or synthetic rubber modified by chemical treatment to increase its useful properties (such as toughness and resistance to wear) and used especially in tires, electrical insulation, and waterproof materials
3
: something made of or resembling rubber: such as
a
: a rubber overshoe
b(1)
: a rubber tire
(2)
: the set of tires on a vehicle
c
: a rectangular slab of white rubber in the middle of a baseball infield on which a pitcher stands while pitching
rubber adjective

rubber

2 of 2

noun (2)

1
: a contest consisting of an odd number of games won by the side that takes a majority (such as two out of three)
2
: an odd game played to determine the winner of a tie

Examples of rubber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
They are led by Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who ate Devil Fruit, which gave him rubber powers not unlike those of Marvel hero Mr. Fantastic. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 19 Apr. 2025 Today, modern rugby balls have an outer shell made out of either synthetic, rubber or polyester materials. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025 But Matos was the only one who got up on the rubber and threw a windmill pitch. Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025 These Hunter rain boots will help keep your feet dry thanks to the latex rubber exterior. Nicol Natale, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rubber

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rubber was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rubber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubber. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

rubber

1 of 2 noun
rub·​ber ˈrəb-ər How to pronounce rubber (audio)
1
: something used in rubbing, polishing, scraping, or cleaning
2
a
: an elastic substance obtained from the milky juice of various tropical plants
b
: any of various synthetic substances like rubber
3
: something made of or resembling rubber: as
a
: a rubber overshoe
b
: a rectangular slab of white rubber in the middle of a baseball infield on which a pitcher stands while pitching
4
: condom
rubberlike
-ˌlīk
adjective
rubbery
ˈrəb-(ə-)rē
adjective

rubber

2 of 2 noun
1
: a contest that consists of an odd number of games (as card games) and is won by the side that takes a majority (as two out of three)
2
: an extra game played to decide the winner of a tie

Medical Definition

rubber

noun
rub·​ber ˈrəb-ər How to pronounce rubber (audio)
1
: an elastic substance that is obtained by coagulating the milky juice of any of various tropical plants (as of the genera Hevea and Ficus), is essentially a polymer of isoprene, and is prepared as sheets and then dried

called also caoutchouc, india rubber

2

More from Merriam-Webster on rubber

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