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neoprene

neoprene

4 7.0
A man-made rubber used for wetsuits, gloves, and waterproof cases
  • noun
  • /ˈniːəˌpriːn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : neopreno
  • The tepid water seeped between her skin and the neoprene wetsuit and quickly warmed to body temperature.
  • neoprene belt

It looks like a regular, kind of like a regular neoprene style glove.

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Examples

  • I donned several layers of woolen underwear and socks, a one-piece neoprene dry suit, a hood, booties, and three-fingered mittens.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Warmth can be enhanced by exterior neoprene boot covers, heavier liners, battery-operated heaters embedded in insoles, and heated boot bags.

    Blog text (4)
  • I bought a roll of neoprene off of Amazon.

  • I just bought a neoprene sleeve for my laptop.

    Blog text (18)
  • Actors change in and out of neoprene costumes in hidden underwater changing rooms.

    Blog text (1)
  • All right, so the first thing we find inside the box is a kind of neoprene sheath for the playbook.

  • A neoprene belt is used to attach it to the lateral side of the waist.

    Academic text (2016)
  • I wore neoprene work gloves as much for stinging nettles as for the crabs.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The tepid water seeped between her skin and the neoprene wetsuit and quickly warmed to body temperature.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Waterproof, flexible, and warm neoprene was one of the hottest items in the show.

Synonyms

synthetic rubber
vsneoprene
  • Specialized
1 4.0

A man-made stretchy material made with chemicals like natural rubber

is a specific kind that resists oil, heat, and weathering and suits waterproof uses

How Resistant

Teflon
  • Specialized
1 4.3
silicone
  • Specialized
59 4.9
nitrile
  • Specialized
1 7.1
neoprene
  • Specialized
4 7.0
natural rubber
  • Specialized
1 2.9

Surface Forms

neoprene singular
neoprenes plural

Morphology

neoprene = neo + prene

A coined chemical/trade name formed from combining elements (neo- + -prene) whose parts do not transparently convey the meaning 'synthetic rubber' to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Neoprene comes from the prefix neo- meaning 'new' and was used as the name for a new kind of man-made rubber. So, think of neoprene as 'new rubber', which helps you remember that it is a synthetic rubber used in wetsuits and protective gear because it resists oil, heat, and weather.