rubber
English meaning: Rubber
Definition
Pliable material derived from the sap of the rubber tree; a hydrocarbon polymer of isoprene.
Example
“The car's tyres are made of synthetic rubber for extra grip.”
Another example: “He stretched a rubber band around the bundle of letters.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Neutral to informal; a noun for the elastic material, and by extension an eraser (British English), a tyre, a condom (informal/slang), or a deciding game in cards/sport ('the rubber'). Context and region strongly affect meaning; American English uses 'eraser' for the stationery sense.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From the verb 'rub' plus '-er', originally (18th century) named because the substance was used to rub out pencil marks.
Related Words
Common Collocations
- rubber band
- rubber gloves
- rubber stamp
- natural rubber
- rubber soles
- rubber tyre
Word Forms
rubber (n); rubbers (pl); rubbery (adj)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
CC-licensed · free to useVideo
Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B