Nylons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A synthetic textile recognized for its strength and elasticity, commonly utilized in fashion items such as stockings and leggings
2. A versatile, lightweight material manufactured from polymers, often employed in garments including activewear and hosiery
3. A durable man-made fiber that is frequently used to make hosiery and apparel that fits snugly

Etymology: "Nylons" is the plural of "nylon," which DuPont coined in 1938 for its new synthetic fiber. The company said the name was built from the arbitrary syllable "nyl-" plus the "-on" ending borrowed from the names of existing fibers such as rayon and Dacron. In other words, the name was manufactured rather than drawn from any existing language, and the -on ending was chosen to make it sound like the textiles already on the market. The plural form came to mean the stockings themselves, which were the fiber's first famous product. Within a few years of the 1938 launch, the stockings were so sought after that "nylons" became a common way to refer to them, and the word has stayed attached to hosiery ever since.

Synonyms: polyamide, synthetic fibers