Vinyl
/ˈvaɪ.nəl/noun
A synthetic plastic used for records, flooring, clothing, and other products.
Did you know?The word vinyl comes from chemistry, where it originally referred to the radical from vinyl alcohol; the name ultimately traces back to Latin vinum, meaning “wine,” because early chemists used the same root in related compounds.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
vinum
“wine”
19th Century
English
vinyl
“a chemical radical derived from ethylene, used in organic chemistry”
20th Century
English
vinyl
“a plastic material, especially polyvinyl chloride or records made from it”
Modern English
English
vinyl
“a synthetic resin or products made from it, especially phonograph records”