/ˈnaɪlɒn/, /ˈnaɪlɑn/
OriginCoined by the company DuPont in 1938. According to the company, the name was formed from the random generic syllable nyl- + the common fiber suffix -on (as in rayon and Dacron), said to be ultimately from cotton.
- countable, uncountableOriginally, the DuPont company trade name for polyamide, a copolymer whose molecules consist of alternating diamine and dicarboxylic acid monomers bonded together; now generically used for this type of polymer.
- countable, in-plural, uncountableA stocking originally fabricated from nylon; also used generically for any long, sheer stocking worn on a woman's legs.
“I tore a hole in my nylons while walking home through the woods.”
“1970-1975, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
He put on make-up, nylons, panties, a dress.”
“What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons. You're born alone and you die alone and this world just drops a bunch of rules on top of you to make you forget those facts.”
- countable, uncountableA Queen's Counsel, King's Counsel or Senior Counsel who was appointed as a courtesy, rather than on merit.
- attributive, oftenNew York-London, a reference to transatlantic life, people who spend time in both cities, or a transatlantic culture featuring both cities.
- alt-ofAlternative letter-case form of NYLON.
Formsnylons(plural) · Nylon(alternative) · NYLon(alternative) · NyLon(alternative)