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

They are typically made from heat-resistant nylon resin or a similar material designed to withstand cooking temperatures. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025

Winter nights are freezing, and fires are impossible to light inside the flammable nylon edifice. —Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025

The tea bags studied by the Barcelona scientists contained polypropylene, cellulose and nylon, but there are many tea bags in stores which are plastic free. —Hatty Willmoth, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025

The slash-proof and RFID-blocking nylon exterior comes in six stylish colors. —Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2024

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