Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

polyethylene terephthalate

noun

Definition of polyethylene terephthalate 

: a tough thermoplastic resin used especially in the manufacture of plastic containers —abbreviation PET

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of polyethylene terephthalate

1946, in the meaning defined above

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about polyethylene terephthalate

Share polyethylene terephthalate

Resources for polyethylene terephthalate

Cite Time Traveler Time Traveler! Explore the year a word first appeared

Statistics for polyethylene terephthalate

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for polyethylene terephthalate

The first known use of polyethylene terephthalate was in 1946

See more words from the same year

Comments on polyethylene terephthalate

What made you want to look up polyethylene terephthalate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

vitiate

to make faulty or ineffective

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Late Autumn 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

  • frosted-autumn-leaves
  • Which is a synonym of yahoo?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games