PVC
UK[ˌpiː viː ˈsiː]US[ˌpiː viː ˈsiː]
n
A type of plastic (polyvinyl chloride) that is used for making pipes, clothing, flooring, and many other products.
Etymology
PVC is an initialism for 'polyvinyl chloride'. The term 'polyvinyl' is derived from 'poly-' (from Greek 'polys', meaning 'many') and 'vinyl', a chemical group name from Latin 'vinum' (wine), as it was originally related to ethyl alcohol. 'Chloride' comes from 'chlorine', named after its greenish-yellow color (from Greek 'khlōros', meaning 'greenish-yellow'). The abbreviation PVC, formed by taking the first letter of each component word, emerged in the 20th century as a convenient label for this versatile synthetic polymer, reflecting the scientific practice of creating concise names for complex chemical compounds.
Analysis
N/A
Examples
The water pipes in the old house were made of PVC.
She bought a PVC raincoat that was both waterproof and stylish.
The company specializes in manufacturing PVC flooring for commercial use.