What does lamination mean?
Lamination is the bonding together of layers, often with adhesive, heat, or pressure, to create a single sheet or composite structure. The resulting material may be stronger, more durable, or better protected than the separate layers, which explains its importance in glassmaking, woodworking, packaging, printing, and electrical insulation. The word can also refer to an individual layer, particularly a layer of body tissue or a fine sedimentary deposit. In everyday use, lamination is most likely to appear in technical or manufacturing contexts rather than casual conversation. Related forms such as laminate, laminated, and laminating are common when describing the action, the material, or its appearance. Although lamination sounds elaborate, its basic idea is straightforward: separate layers are joined so that they function as one.
nounLamination is the process of bonding two or more layers of material together, or the resulting layered sheet or structure. The word can also refer to an individual layer, especially in anatomy or geology.
- The process of bonding together two or more layers of material, usually with adhesive, heat, or pressure.
- A layered sheet or structure produced by this process.
- A distinct layer or sheet, especially one of tissue in the body or a thin sedimentary layer in geology.
"Lamination of the glass panels made them stronger and safer."
"The lamination of the glass panels made them stronger and safer."
"The rock reveals a lamination of pale and dark mineral layers."
The plural is used for separate instances of a layering process or for multiple individual layers.
"The samples show distinct laminations of clay and sand."
From the Latin word for a thin plate, lamination became the name for turning separate sheets into one stronger layer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lamination come from?
The word was formed in English by adding the suffix -ation to laminate, a term derived from Latin lamina, meaning a thin plate or sheet. Lamination therefore developed from the idea of making something from layers or plates. The Latin root also appears in related English words such as lamina, lamella, and lamellar, all belonging to the same family of layer-related terms.
Related word forms
How lamination is actually used
The word is formal and especially common in manufacturing, materials science, woodworking, packaging, and conservation. Its anatomical and geological uses are specialized, while the general process sense is neutral and technical.
Easily confused with lamination
Lamination usually names the process of bonding layers or the layered result, whereas laminate can be a verb, an adjective, or the material formed in that process.