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triacetate

triacetate

9.5
A man-made material used for film and fabrics that burns slowly
  • noun
  • /ˌtraɪˈæsəˌteɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : triacetato
  • The photographer preferred using triacetate film for its ability to produce vibrant colors.

Examples

  • The dress was made from a lightweight triacetate fabric that flowed elegantly as she walked.

  • She had the feeling he'd never surrender her strapless, and she'd have to appear at her first formal in a long nylon triacetate slip.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • YELLOW CARPET FIBERS, CONSISTENT WITH A MASS-PRODUCED LINE OF THE TRIACETATE VARIETY.

  • Due to its flame-resistant properties, triacetate is often used in safety clothing for workers.

Synonyms

cellulose triacetate
vstriacetate
  • Specialized
8.9

A plastic film base for photos and movies that burns slowly

focuses on the chemical defined by three acetyl groups rather than film use

Compounds

cellulose triacetate
  • Specialized
8.9

A plastic film base for photos and movies that burns slowly

cellulose triacetate
  • Specialized
8.0

A plastic used to make thin filters for cleaning water

How Flammable

gasoline
  • US
318 1.6
paper
1.0
cotton
115 1.0
wood
613 1.0
triacetate
  • Specialized
9.5
glass
785 1.0

Surface Forms

triacetate singular
triacetates plural

Morphology

triacetate = acetate (transparent) = tri + acetate

Formed by the productive chemical prefix 'tri-' meaning 'three' attached to the noun 'acetate', giving the straightforward meaning 'an acetate with three acetyl groups'.

Etymology

The word triacetate joins tri- meaning 'three', as in triangle, and acetate, from a word for 'vinegar'. So, triacetate literally names a material with three acetate parts, and that helps explain its chemical make-up and why it is used in fibers and film that burn more slowly.