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Definition of polystyrene - 5 dictionary results

pol⋅y⋅sty⋅rene

[pol-ee-stahy-reen, -steer-een]
–noun Chemistry.
a clear plastic or stiff foam, a polymer of styrene, used chiefly as an insulator in refrigerators and air conditioners.

Origin:
1925–30; poly- + styrene
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pol·y·sty·rene   (pŏl'ē-stī'rēn)   
n.  A rigid clear thermoplastic polymer that can be molded into objects or made into a foam that is used to insulate refrigerators.
pol'y·sty'rene adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

polystyrene 
1927, so called because it is a polymer of styrene (see styrene).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: poly·sty·rene
Pronunciation: "päl-i-'stI(&)r-"En
Function: noun
: a polymer of styrene; especially : arigid transparent thermoplastic that has good physical and electrical insulating properties and is used especially in molded products, foams, and sheet materials
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Encyclopedia

polystyrene

an important member of the class of synthetic organic polymers, composed of long-chain molecules prepared by a chemical reaction in which many (usually 2,000-3,000) molecules of the aromatic hydrocarbon styrene become linked together.

Learn more about polystyrene with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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