noun
polymer
POL-ih-muh
noun
1
A large molecule made of many repeating smaller units (monomers) chemically bonded together.
"Plastics are polymers built from long chains of repeating molecules."
"Scientists are developing biodegradable polymers to replace conventional plastic."
How to Use Polymer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA material made of long, repeating chains of molecules, such as plastic or rubber.
Common pairings
synthetic polymer
polymer chain
natural polymer
Word Forms
polymers plural
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Plastics are _____ built from long chains of repeating molecules.
Etymology
Coined by the chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1833, from Greek polús ("many") and méros ("part").