polyester

1 of 2

noun

poly·​es·​ter ˈpä-lē-ˌe-stər 

ˌpä-lē-ˈe-

: any of a group of polymers that consist basically of repeated units of an ester and are used especially in making fibers or plastics

also : a product (such as a fiber or fabric) composed of polyester

polyesterification

ˌpä-lē-e-ˌster-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

polyester

2 of 2

adjective

: characterized by inelegant or unsophisticated middle-class taste

polyester suburbs

polyester folks

Examples of polyester in a Sentence

Noun

The shirt is made of polyester.

The sheets are a cotton and polyester blend.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And Costco's Millerchip said the cost of petroleum has driven up the cost of resin, which is likely to increase the price of items using plastic or polyester. —Alina Selyukh, NPR, 29 May 2026

Isolating microplastics that slough off synthetic textiles such as polyester and nylon made the contrast even starker, with airborne levels rising to 100 times global baselines and aquatic concentrations soaring to 200 times higher. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 28 May 2026

Adjective

Get a cap and gown for a cool photo op No graduation day is complete without a photo shoot in a tasseled cap and hot, sweaty, polyester robe, right? —Lindsey Vickers, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2020

Start with polyester thermal underwear for the base layer. —Deb Acord, Popular Mechanics, 22 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun

poly- + ester

Adjective

from the assumed popularity of clothing made from polyester fabric among middle-class consumers

First Known Use

Noun

1922, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for polyester

• ancestor
• arrester
• digester
• investor
• protester
• requester
• semester
• sequester
• silvester
• trimester
• ester
• esther

Kids Definition

polyester

noun

poly·​es·​ter

ˈpäl-ē-ˌes-tər

: any of a group of polymers that consist basically of repeated units of an ester and are used chiefly in making fibers or plastics