What does laminate mean?
Laminate describes either the process of bonding thin layers of material together or the resulting sheet. As a verb, it is used when paper, wood, plastic, glass, or other materials are combined to form a durable, unified layer, and it can also mean applying a thin protective coating to a surface. As a noun, a laminate is commonly a plastic sheet used on kitchen worktops, furniture, shelving, and floors; it is valued for being resistant to scratches, stains, and moisture while imitating materials such as wood or stone. In professional contexts, the term often denotes engineered products made by bonding layers under heat and pressure. The word is especially common in manufacturing, woodworking, printing, product packaging, and interior design. Although “laminated” describes something already covered or formed in layers, “laminate” is the verb for the action and the noun for the finished sheet or covering.
To bond layers of material together, or to cover a surface with a thin protective layer.
"The workshop laminated the panels under heat and pressure."
Often used with paper, wood, plastic, glass, and metal; it can also mean to seal something with a thin laminate.
A thin, rigid sheet made from bonded layers, commonly used as a decorative or protective covering.
"They chose a pale oak laminate for the kitchen units."
The noun is often pronounced with a final syllable like “nət,” distinct from the verb's common pronunciation.
The plural is used when referring to multiple individual sheets, panels, or covering materials.
"The shop stocks several laminates for shelving and worktops."
Its name comes from the Latin lamina, meaning a thin plate or sheet—the same root behind the familiar leaf-like structures called lamellae.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does laminate come from?
The word comes through French from Latin lamina, meaning a thin plate, layer, or sheet. The suffix -ate was added to form a verb and later a noun associated with layered or bonded material. Its relatives include laminar, referring to layers; lamella, a thin plate or layer; and lamellar, meaning composed of thin layers.
Related word forms
How laminate is actually used
In both British and American English, the verb is commonly pronounced with a final syllable like “nayt,” while the noun is commonly pronounced with a final syllable like “nət.” The verb can be transitive, as in “laminate the surface,” or used intransitively, as in “the sheets were laminated together.”
Easily confused with laminate
Laminate is the sheet or covering itself or the act of bonding layers, whereas lamination refers more generally to a layer or to the process of forming laminated material.