polyurethane

noun

poly·ure·thane | \ ˌpä-lē-ˈyu̇r-ə-ˌthān

Definition of polyurethane

: any of various polymers that contain NHCOO linkages and are used especially in flexible and rigid foams, elastomers, and resins (as for coatings)

Examples of polyurethane in a Sentence

The floor will need two coats of polyurethane.

Recent Examples on the Web

Toy makers closely guard their squishy-toy formulations, which are usually variations of polyurethane. — Ellen Byron, WSJ, "This Year’s Holiday Toy Craze Involves a Lot of Squishing," 13 Nov. 2018 In 2016, Hillmyer and his team made a polyurethane from unzipping polymers that was chemically recyclable. — Xiaozhi Lim, The Seattle Times, "Chemists in search of their Holy Grail: a plastic designed to die," 6 Aug. 2018 These hikers, with lightweight polyurethane soles and water-repellent leather, are perfect for clearing trails or breaking down timber. — Blair Braverman, Outside Online, "Summer's Best Workwear for Men and Women," 28 June 2018 External condoms are usually made of latex but can also be made from polyurethane (plastic) or lambskin, according to the Mayo Clinic. — Korin Miller, SELF, "These Are the Only Kinds of Birth Control That Also Protect Against STIs," 27 July 2018 University of Washington came in fourth, with a pod that used polyurethane wheels and a cold-gas propulsion system. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Student engineers build hyperloop test pods with commercial-class top speeds," 23 July 2018 Many passengers couldn't push out the windows to escape the flames, which thrived on the polyurethane seat cushions. — Justin Price, The Courier-Journal, "How the horror of the Carrollton bus crash made highways safer," 10 May 2018 Molecular units derived from sugar linked up to make the polymers, which then cross-linked into polyurethane networks. — Xiaozhi Lim, The Seattle Times, "Chemists in search of their Holy Grail: a plastic designed to die," 6 Aug. 2018 The surface was coated with a clear polyurethane finish for protection. — Jessica Dodell-feder, Country Living, "Quick Kitchen Renovations," 19 Sep. 2014

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about polyurethane

Dictionary Entries near polyurethane

Statistics for polyurethane

Last Updated

20 Apr 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for polyurethane

The first known use of polyurethane was in 1939

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for polyurethane

polyurethane

noun

English Language Learners Definition of polyurethane

: a type of plastic that is used to make various products and especially to make a clear liquid that is spread on a surface (such as a wooden floor) and that becomes hard when it dries

See the full definition for polyurethane in the English Language Learners Dictionary