polycarbonate
UK[ˌpɒlɪˈkɑːbəneɪt]US[ˌpɑːliˈkɑːrbənət]
n
A strong, transparent thermoplastic polymer made by polymerizing a carbonate with an aromatic compound, widely used for its impact resistance and optical clarity.
Morpheme Breakdown
poly
carbonate
poly
many
carbonate
carbonate compound
Etymology
The word 'polycarbonate' is a modern scientific compound formed in the 20th century. The first element, 'poly-', is derived from the ancient Greek polys (much, many), indicating a polymer—a large molecule composed of many repeating subunits. The second element, 'carbonate', traces back to Latin carbo (charcoal, coal), the source of the chemical element carbon. The suffix -ate is used in chemistry to name salts and esters. Thus, the term literally describes a polymer whose repeating structural units are linked by carbonate groups (-O-(C=O)-O-), a logical and descriptive name for the material's chemical architecture.
Analysis
Structure: poly (many) + carbonate (carbonate compound)
- poly: From Greek poly-, meaning "much, many". A combining form used in scientific vocabulary to denote multiplicity.
- carbonate: From the noun carbonate, itself from carbon (from Latin carbo, meaning "coal, charcoal") + the chemical suffix -ate, denoting a salt or ester of an acid.
Examples
The safety goggles were made from a durable polycarbonate lens.
Polycarbonate is often used as a lightweight alternative to glass in construction.
Many reusable water bottles are manufactured from BPA-free polycarbonate.