polypropylene

noun poly·pro·pyl·ene \ ˌpä-lē-ˈprō-pə-ˌlēn \

Updated on: 25 Apr 2018

Definition of polypropylene

: any of various thermoplastic plastics or fibers that are polymers of propylene

Recent Examples of polypropylene from the Web

Today, it’s made largely of polypropylene and is twice as strong.

— kathryn miles, BostonGlobe.com, "Can anyone save the North Atlantic right whale?," 11 Apr. 2018
But the kinds of plastic typically used in plastic containers, like polypropylene, have a lower surface energy and are called hydrophobic.

— c. claiborne ray, New York Times, "Why That Sippy Cup Won’t Dry in the Dishwasher," 2 Mar. 2018
It is lined with a thin coating of plastic to ensure its integrity when filled with hot liquid, and topped with a polypropylene plastic lid.

— benjamin romano, ajc, "As coffee-cup controversy simmers, Starbucks vows to spend $10M to invent new ones," 21 Mar. 2018
Tests on more than 250 bottles showed almost all had contamination from microplastic particles that included polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), according to a story in Orb, a nonprofit journalism organization.

— frank kummer, Philly.com, "Are you drinking tiny plastics in that bottled water?," 15 Mar. 2018
The not-as-bad plastics do not release BPA and count high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and polypropylene among their ranks.

— elaheh nozari, Bon Appetit, "Is It Safe to Cook With Plastic Bags? And Other Sous Vide Questions, Explained," 14 Feb. 2018
David said cassettes and their cases are typically made of polypropylene or polystyrene.

— john kelly, Washington Post, "A tale of the tape that goes down to the wire: More on dispatching old cassettes," 27 Feb. 2018
According to the lawsuit, the boy's penis got stuck on the potty trainer, made by Prince Lionheart, and the polypropylene surface then deeply cut his genitals almost all the way around.

— lindsey murray, Good Housekeeping, "Parents Claim Potty Seat From Target "Nearly Dismembered" Their 3-Year-Old Son," 20 Dec. 2017
Image The Ikea Frakta In April, a $2,145 Balenciaga bag briefly arrested the fashion world’s attention for its marked resemblance to a much more affordable option: the 99-cent polypropylene Frakta bag available by the bin-load at Ikea.

— matthew schneier, New York Times, "The Year in Stuff," 13 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'polypropylene.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.