polystyrene

noun

poly·sty·rene | \ ˌpä-lē-ˈstī-ˌrēn

Definition of polystyrene

: a polymer of styrene especially : a rigid transparent thermoplastic that has good physical and electrical insulating properties and is used especially in molded products, foams, and sheet materials

Examples of polystyrene in a Sentence

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That's the polar opposite of polystyrene, which scientists speculate can take more than a million years to biodegrade. — Eleanor Hildebrandt, Popular Mechanics, "Packaging Is Killing Us, and the Holidays Are the Worst," 19 Dec. 2018 This vessel is placed inside a larger, more rigid outer shell made of medical grade polystyrene and a large silicone o-ring. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "These Two Women Both ‘Carried’ Their Baby Using Reciprocal Effortless IVF," 16 Nov. 2018 The egg and sperm mixture is placed inside an inner chamber made of sterile and gas-permeable materials: medical-grade polystyrene and synthetic rubber latex/thermoplastic elastomer and a silicone o-ring, according to INVOcell’s website. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "These Two Women Both ‘Carried’ Their Baby Using Reciprocal Effortless IVF," 16 Nov. 2018 The catalyst for this rapid process is known are polystyrene microspheres, tiny particles which contain styrene and have a wide range of applications throughout the sciences. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Can Now Make a Carbon-Trapping Mineral in a Lab," 15 Aug. 2018 The City Council passed a ban on polystyrene foam containers for carryout food and drink in March that will take effect in October 2019. — Lorraine Mirabella, baltimoresun.com, "More eateries, businesses do away with plastic straws," 13 July 2018 Major cities including San Jose, San Francisco and Long Beach have banned polystyrene, and Los Angeles officials have been discussing it. — David Garrick, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Proposal would ban sale and use of polystyrene in San Diego, affecting cups, egg cartons, coolers, pool toys and more," 31 May 2018 Other researchers had already found that mealworms can digest a particular plastic called polystyrene. — The Economist, "Another way to recycle plastic," 24 May 2018 Large private food retailers like McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jamba Juice, and Chick-fil-A already have phased out polystyrene products or plan to phase them out or implement new recycling processes. — Camille Harmer, Fortune, "How Banning Plastic Straws Could Make Pollution Even Worse," 12 July 2018

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

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The first known use of polystyrene was in 1927

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More Definitions for polystyrene

polystyrene

noun

poly·sty·rene | \ ˌpäl-i-ˈstī(ə)r-ˌēn

Medical Definition of polystyrene

: a polymer of styrene especially : a rigid transparent thermoplastic that has good physical and electrical insulating properties and is used especially in molded products, foams, and sheet materials