Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
polyurethane foam

polyurethane foam

1 4.5
A light, spongy material used for cushions, insulation and packaging
  • noun
  • /ˌpɒliˈjʊəreɪn foʊm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : espuma de poliuretano
  • The manufacturing system is a specialized three-degree-of-freedom milling machine designed to contour high-resiliency polyurethane foam, ethafoam, or viscoelastic foam cushions.
  • flexible polyurethane foam

Examples

  • Polyurethane foam accounts for only 5 percent by weight but up to 30 percent by volume of the shredder residue.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Polyurethane foam is almost everywhere in society, from car seats to construction materials to appliances.

    Academic text (2000)

  • I opted for polyurethane foam and let it dry overnight.

  • What happens to polyurethane foam in a landfill?

    Academic text (2000)

  • A typical 3 x 18 x 18-inch high resiliency polyurethane foam cushion could be purchased for $5 to $7 in 1991.

    Academic text (1992)

  • These molds were cast with polyurethane foam to provide sturdy but light replicas of the original fossils.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Polyurethane foam was evaluated from two sources: dismantled foam from scrap vehicles and foam reclaimed and recovered using Argonne's technology.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The mattress is filled with polyurethane foam, making it comfortable and supportive.

  • To insulate the attic, we installed sheets of polyurethane foam for better temperature control.

  • They used polyurethane foam in the packaging to protect the fragile items during shipping.

Synonyms

foam
vspolyurethane foam
74 2.6

A light material made of many small air bubbles used for cushioning or insulation

is a specific manufactured plastic material made by adding water during production
polyfoam
vspolyurethane foam
  • Specialized
1 7.1

A light, soft plastic used for cushions and to protect items in boxes

is the full technical name rather than the short informal name

How Soft

cushioning
4 3.0
polyurethane foam
  • Specialized
1 4.5
foam rubber
3 2.8
foam
74 2.6

Surface Forms

polyurethane foam singular
polyurethane foams plural

Morphology

polyurethane + foam

The meaning 'foam made from polyurethane' is directly and compositionally derived from 'polyurethane' (a synthetic polymer) + 'foam' (a spongy, gas-filled material). This is a straightforward material-of compound rather than an idiom or metaphor, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Polyurethane foam comes from the material name polyurethane, a type of plastic, and the word foam, because it is full of tiny bubbles like soap foam. Those bubbles trap 'air', so the material is 'light' and 'soft' and is used for insulation, cushions, and packaging.