polyethylene
noun
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Definition of polyethylene
: a polymer of ethylene especially : any of various partially crystalline lightweight thermoplastics (CH2CH2)x that are resistant to chemicals and moisture, have good insulating properties, and are used especially in packaging and insulation
Examples of polyethylene in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The groups of worms were given 1.8 grams of polystyrene, polyethylene, or both. — Erin Corbett, Fortune, "How Worms Can Help Recycle Plastic," 27 May 2018 Look for more durable EVA or Crosslink polyethylene foams, like in the Mystery Ranch Ridge Ruck 25 ($155). — Joe Jackson, Outside Online, "What to Splurge on (and Avoid) When Buying Gear," 22 June 2018 That ethylene supply supports the production of polyethylene — the world's most common plastic — at the company's Sweeny complex. — Katherine Blunt, Houston Chronicle, "Phillips 66 to launch $1.5 billion expansion of Sweeny hub," 13 June 2018 For some plastics, such as polyethylene, the repeat unit can be just one carbon atom and two hydrogen atoms. — National Geographic, "Plastics Explained, From A to Z," 16 May 2018 To capture that profit-margin advantage, DowDuPont's Dow unit has invested billions of dollars on new and expanded factories in the U.S. that convert ethane into ethylene and polyethylene plastics. — Bloomberg, Houston Chronicle, "DowDupont earnings jump," 3 May 2018 Near-impossible standards In past months, China has banned 24 kinds of solid waste, including unsorted paper, certain textile materials and low-grade polyethylene terephthalate often used in plastic bottles. — Megan Janetsky, azcentral, "Some of your recyclables may be going to landfills," 4 July 2018 The existing culvert will be replaced with high-density polyethylene plastic pipe with a 24-inch diameter, meeting specifications set by the city of Houston. — Melanie Feuk, Houston Chronicle, "KSA to replace collapsed culvert at flood-prone River Grove Park in Kingwood for $33K," 5 May 2018 The high-density polyethylene used to make the plastic bricks didn’t agree with the PCM; after a few freeze-thaw cycles, the PCM started to leak out through the screw-down top. — Adam Rogers, WIRED, "The Wild Logistical Ride of the Ebola Vaccine's High-Tech Thermos," 29 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'polyethylene.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for polyethylene
polyethylene
noun
English Language Learners Definition of polyethylene
: a light and strong plastic that is used mainly in sheets for packaging
See the full definition for polyethylene in the English Language Learners Dictionary
polyethylene
noun
\
Medical Definition of polyethylene
: a polymer of ethylene especially : any of various lightweight thermoplastics (CH2CH2)x that are resistant to chemicals and moisture and are used especially in packaging, insulation, surgical implants, prostheses, and tubing
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