rayon

noun ray·on \ ˈrā-ˌän \

Definition of rayon

1 :any of a group of smooth textile fibers made from regenerated cellulose by extrusion through minute holes

2 :a rayon yarn, thread, or fabric

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Examples of rayon in a Sentence

The shirt is made of rayon.

Recent Examples of rayon from the Web

If rare or labor-intensive materials like gold or silk are valuable and common ones like rayon and nylon are less so, what to make of a shirt spun of ubiquity?

— jamie fisher, New York Times, "Letter of Recommendation: Memewear," 17 Aug. 2017
Seersucker is a light linen, rayon, or cotton textile, crinkled and typically bearing a pattern of stripes.

— john mcintyre, baltimoresun.com, "In a word: seersucker," 14 Aug. 2017
The ultra-soft rayon liner was made with sensitive nipples in mind and also absorbs any breast milk that might leak out during feeding...

— elizabeth logan, Glamour, "The 'Ta-Ta Towel' Is Here to Banish Boob Sweat for Good," 7 Aug. 2017
The ultra-soft rayon liner was made with sensitive nipples in mind and also absorbs any breast milk that might leak out during feeding...

— elizabeth logan, Allure, "This Genius Towel Is Engineered to Absorb Boob Sweat," 4 Aug. 2017
Simpson Lumber Company and other mills employed hundreds of laborers, while chemists experimented with synthetic materials like rayon and cellophane at the Rayonier laboratory, now home to Black Diamond.

— tribune news service, OregonLive.com, "How a Washington town's economy is shifting from timber to marijuana," 31 July 2017
Cotton, for example, is more breathable than polyester or rayon.

— charles manning, Cosmopolitan, "13 Summer Fashion Tricks to Keep You From Feeling Like a Sweaty Disaster," 21 June 2017
Tampons are typically made from cotton or rayon or pulp fiber, but advocates are concerned about potential contamination with toxic dioxins that could occur when the fibers are bleached with chlorine compounds.

— michael alison chandler, Washington Post, "‘How do I know my tampons are safe?’: More women push for detailed labels on feminine care products," 20 June 2017
Synthetic fibers or rayon are often blended with cotton thread, especially if there is a cotton shortage, as there was in 2011, or if the price of cotton goes up.

— tatiana schlossberg, New York Times, "Fig Leaves Are Out. What to Wear to Be Kind to the Planet?," 24 May 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of rayon

irregular from ²ray

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First Known Use: 1924

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RAYON Defined for English Language Learners

rayon

noun

Definition of rayon for English Language Learners

: a smooth fiber that is used in making clothing

RAYON Defined for Kids

rayon

noun ray·on \ ˈrā-ˌän \

Definition of rayon for Students

:a cloth made with fibers produced chemically from cellulose

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See words that rhyme with rayon Spanish Central: Translation of rayon Nglish: Translation of rayon for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rayon

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rayon

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