terephthalate

noun

tere·​phthal·​ate ˌter-ə(f)-ˈtha-ˌlāt How to pronounce terephthalate (audio)
: a salt or ester of terephthalic acid
especially : a dimethyl-ester that is a major starting material for polyester fibers and coatings

Examples of terephthalate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Origin’s caps are made of PET, polyethylene terephthalate, the same material used to make soda bottles. Sacbee.com, 13 Feb. 2026 Now, in a world first, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has developed reference material to measure polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles, commonly found in packaging and textiles, in water. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Dec. 2025 Those agreements span cosmetics, beverage and tire textile filament applications, underscoring what the company described as strong demand for biorecycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 26 Dec. 2025 Almost all the plastic was one type — polyethylene — with a notable absence of other common forms, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which makes up plastic water and soda bottles. F.d. Flam, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for terephthalate

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of terephthalate was in 1868

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Cite this Entry

“Terephthalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terephthalate. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

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