| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| vulcanize (vŭl'kə-nīz') Pronunciation Key
To harden rubber by combining it with sulfur or other substances in the presence of heat and pressure. Vulcanization gives rubber strength, resistance, and elasticity. |
An industrial process that strengthens natural rubber. Because it requires great heat, the process was named after the Roman god of fire, Vulcan.