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

An additional hit of white arrives via the tongue tag, and blue nylon pull tabs appear at its top and bottom and again at the heel. —Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026

Scrub gently, with a soft sponge or nylon brush. —Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026

The Transporter is primarily crafted from a 630-denier nylon, with a burlier 840-denier nylon bottom panel, both of which are treated with a carbonate coating for weatherproofing. —Drew Zieff, Outside, 17 Feb. 2026

In Lambert’s second piece, 12 nylon flags were redesigned to reflect on each nation’s relationship to the changing climate. —Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

coined word

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nylon

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

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