rubber

1 of 2

noun (1)

rub·​ber ˈrə-bər 

1

a

: one that rubs

b

: an instrument or object (such as a rubber eraser) used in rubbing, polishing, scraping, or cleaning

c

: something that prevents rubbing or chafing

2

[from its use in erasers]

a

: an elastic substance that is obtained by coagulating the milky juice of any of various tropical plants (as of the genera Hevea and Ficus), is essentially a polymer of isoprene, and is prepared as sheets and then dried

called also caoutchouc, india rubber

b

: any of various synthetic rubberlike substances

c

: natural or synthetic rubber modified by chemical treatment to increase its useful properties (such as toughness and resistance to wear) and used especially in tires, electrical insulation, and waterproof materials

3

: something made of or resembling rubber: such as

a

: a rubber overshoe

b(1)

: a rubber tire

(2)

: the set of tires on a vehicle

c

: a rectangular slab of white rubber in the middle of a baseball infield on which a pitcher stands while pitching

d

: condom sense 1

rubber adjective

rubber

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: a contest consisting of an odd number of games won by the side that takes a majority (such as two out of three)

2

: an odd game played to determine the winner of a tie

Examples of rubber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And to top it all off, the rubber outsoles on these shoes are durable and offer ample traction on a wide range of terrain — even following April showers. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2024

The rubber outsole also contributes to overall comfort. —Lilian Gonzalez, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2024

Some things, morbid curiosities: a bullet, freshly fired, spinning and melting the rubber on the track surrounding the school's football field. —Meg Anderson, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024

These gloves have a number of extra safety features, including thermoplastic rubber knuckles and back of hand protection that shields wearers from impacts and abrasion. —Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024

Ethylene oxide is used as a sterilizing agent for medical equipment and chloroprene is used to make synthetic rubber. —USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024

For added drama, the solid gold bracelet can be removed and replaced with matching green calfskin or rubber straps. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024

Buganda Memory Foam Bath Mat in Black, $6 with coupon $12 $6 The bath mat has a velvet-like microfiber top layer, along with a mesh and rubber back that prevents it from shifting and sliding and from water seeping in. —Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024

With that in mind, here are the most common ways to clean your hair brush: Hill says that brushes made of non-porous materials, silicone, hard plastic, or rubber can be hand-washed with a DIY cleansing agent of shampoo and water. —Audrey Noble, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rubber

• burn rubber
• butyl rubber
• foam rubber
• hard rubber
• india rubber
• Para rubber
• Para rubber tree
• rubber band
• rubber boot
• rubber bridge
• rubber bullet
• rubber cement
• rubber check
• rubber-chicken
• rubber plant
• rubber rabbitbrush
• rubber stamp
• rubber tree
• silicone rubber
• sponge rubber

Kids Definition

rubber

1 of 2 noun

rub·​ber ˈrəb-ər 

1

: something used in rubbing, polishing, scraping, or cleaning

2

a

: an elastic substance obtained from the milky juice of various tropical plants

b

: any of various synthetic substances like rubber

3

: something made of or resembling rubber: as

a

: a rubber overshoe

b

: a rectangular slab of white rubber in the middle of a baseball infield on which a pitcher stands while pitching

4

: condom

rubberlike

-ˌlīk

adjective

rubbery

ˈrəb-(ə-)rē

adjective

rubber

2 of 2 noun

1

: a contest that consists of an odd number of games (as card games) and is won by the side that takes a majority (as two out of three)

2

: an extra game played to decide the winner of a tie

Medical Definition

rubber

noun

rub·​ber ˈrəb-ər 

1

: an elastic substance that is obtained by coagulating the milky juice of any of various tropical plants (as of the genera Hevea and Ficus), is essentially a polymer of isoprene, and is prepared as sheets and then dried

called also caoutchouc, india rubber

2

: condom sense 1