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Glite Dictionary
polythene

polythene

1 5.3
A soft, light plastic used for bags and packaging
  • noun
  • /ˈpɑlɪˌθin/
  • UK
translation icon : polietileno
  • The goldfish stall man struggles to keep control as Billi pokes at the fish prizes in their polythene bags.
  • polythene sheet

Examples

  • The assistance provided by India comprises consignments of blankets, rice, wheat, baby food, polythene sheets, etc.

    Academic text (2018)

  • The man in the seat next to him turned the polythene packet around, slipped out a flap, and deftly extricated a fork and a knife.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • A barbecue still in polythene wraps.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • In all cases, material was ensiled in large plastic drums lined with polythene sheet and then compressed through manual trampling.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Septi arrived home in the evening, carrying his tools in a polythene bag.

  • I always find it difficult to open the polythene bags and usually have to resort to scissors.

  • The goldfish stall man struggles to keep control as Billi pokes at the fish prizes in their polythene bags.

Synonyms

polyethylene
vspolythene
  • Specialized
5 6.1

A strong, light plastic used for bags and containers

focuses mainly on plastic bags rather than containers
thermoplastic
vspolythene
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A plastic material that becomes soft when heated and hard when cooled

is a specific lightweight packaging material rather than the general material type

How Flexible

fabric
252 1.0
rubber
230 1.0
polythene
  • UK
1 5.3
wood
613 1.0
glass
785 1.0

Surface Forms

polythene singular
polythenes plural

Morphology

polythene = ethene (opaque) = poly + ethene

Although the prefix poly- means 'many', the term refers to a specific polymer of ethene and is not readily inferable for an average learner.

Etymology

The word polythene comes from poly- meaning 'many' and ethene, the name of a simple chemical. So, polythene means many small ethene parts joined together, which is why it is a light, flexible plastic used for bags and wrappers.