What does saran mean?
Saran names a thin, flexible, transparent plastic film that is stretched over food or containers to keep them covered and fresh. It adheres readily to smooth surfaces, making it especially useful for wrapping irregularly shaped items and bowls. The material is sold on rolls, and a sheet is typically torn off or cut with a serrated edge. Saran became familiar in American households through branded wrapping products before the name came to denote the material more generally. British speakers more commonly call the same kind of product cling film. Although it can serve many of the same purposes as other flexible coverings, saran is distinguished by its combination of transparency, flexibility, and adhesion. It should not be confused with cellophane, which is generally stiffer and is made from cellulose rather than plastic.
nounA thin, flexible, transparent plastic film used to wrap food and other objects. It clings to surfaces and is usually sold on a roll.
- The thin, flexible plastic film used to cover, wrap, or protect food and other objects.
"She covered the bowl with saran before placing it in the refrigerator."
"He wrapped the leftover pizza in saran and stored it in the fridge."
"The transparent saran was pulled tightly across the top of the container."
A plural form is possible but rarely used, since the word normally denotes a type or mass of plastic film.
"The drawer contained several rolls of sarans of different widths."
Once a proprietary material name, saran became so widely used for flexible plastic wrapping that it turned the material itself into everyday vocabulary.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does saran come from?
The word entered general English use through the name of a commercially important flexible plastic film. As the material became widely recognized, its name was adopted for the product type more broadly. The name ultimately derives from a family name, although the precise original formation is not necessary to understand the word's later development.
How saran is actually used
Usually treated as a mass noun, so plural marking is rarely necessary. In British English, “cling film” is the usual equivalent term.
Easily confused with saran
Saran is flexible and clings to surfaces, whereas cellophane is a comparatively stiff cellulose-based film.