Clingfilms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Thin, transparent plastic sheets used to cover or wrap food or objects to keep them fresh; to adhere closely or stick tightly to a surface
2. Flexible, clear plastic wraps utilized for sealing containers or covering items to preserve freshness; the act of sticking firmly or remaining attached to something
3. A type of stretchable, see-through plastic film employed mainly in kitchens to protect food from air and moisture; the process of holding onto or remaining fixed to a surface without detaching

Etymology: "Clingfilms" is simply the plural of "clingfilm," a noun formed by compounding two ordinary English words: "cling," meaning to hold tightly to something, and "film," here used in its older sense of a thin sheet or layer of material rather than a motion picture. Put together, the name describes exactly what the product does: a thin sheet that sticks closely to whatever it touches. The verb "cling" traces back to Old English roots meaning to shrink or contract, which helps explain why the idea of gripping tightly came to be associated with it. "Film" likewise predates cinema by centuries, once referring to any fine membrane or skin, so the plastic wrap inherited a word that had long described thin coverings.

Synonyms: plastic wrap, cling wrap, food wrap, saran wrap, cellophane