What does nylon mean?
Nylon is a synthetic polyamide material best known as a lightweight, durable fibre used in clothing, hosiery, and many other products. As a count noun, “nylons” can also refer to nylon stockings, especially in North American English. The adjective nylon describes products made from the material: a nylon jacket, nylon thread, or nylon rope. In everyday use, nylon is often associated with hosiery, parachutes, brushes, and other items valued for strength, flexibility, or resistance to abrasion. Because the material is petroleum-derived and can persist in the environment, its production and disposal have environmental consequences, although recycling options exist for some products. The word is also a familiar example of a manufactured name: it was created by combining elements of New York and London. Nylon remains useful in ordinary vocabulary because it names both a specific class of synthetic material and the familiar garment category “nylons,” while its history links modern industrial chemistry with a memorable place-name coinage.
A synthetic polyamide fibre or material used especially in textiles, hosiery, thread, and other durable products. In the plural, “nylons” may mean nylon stockings or garments.
"The tent is made of lightweight nylon."
The material sense is normally a mass noun. The plural “nylons” is especially common in North American English for stockings.
Made from, or consisting of, nylon.
"She replaced the frayed nylon strap with a new one."
The adjective is most commonly used attributively, as in “nylon jacket” or “nylon thread.”
“Nylons” may refer collectively to nylon garments, especially stockings. When referring to the material itself, nylon is normally used as an uncountable mass noun.
"She bought several pairs of nylons for the performance."
Nylon has an international name: it was coined from elements of New York and London.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nylon come from?
Nylon was developed in the late 1930s by a team of chemists led by Wallace Carothers at DuPont. Its name was created by combining elements of “New York” and “London,” making it a coined name with a deliberately international character. The word came to denote the synthetic polyamide fibres and related materials developed through this work.
Related word forms
How nylon is actually used
The noun is neutral and common in both technical and everyday contexts. “Nylons” is especially associated with stockings in North American English, while British English commonly says “nylon stockings.” As an adjective, nylon is most natural before a noun; predicative use such as “The dress is nylon” is possible but less usual than “The dress is made of nylon.”
Easily confused with nylon
Nylon is a synthetic polyamide material, whereas neon is a chemical element used in brightly illuminated signs.