stainless

[ steyn-lis ]

adjective

1. having no stain; spotless.
2. made of stainless steel.
3. resistant to staining, rusting, the corrosive effect of chemicals, etc.

noun

1. flatware made of stainless steel.
2. stainless steel.

stainless

/ ˈsteɪnlɪs /

adjective

1. resistant to discoloration, esp discoloration resulting from corrosion; rust-resistant

   stainless steel

2. having no blemish

   a stainless reputation

noun

1. stainless steel

Derived Forms

• ˈstainlessly, adverb

Other Words From

• stainless·ly adverb
• stainless·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stainless¹

First recorded in 1580–90; stain + -less

Example Sentences

Instead, caterers typically deliver insulated boxes full of stainless steel containers, which then get rinsed out and returned at the end of the day.

From Salon

The safest nontoxic material options for kitchen utensil are wood and stainless steel.

From Los Angeles Times

To test the carbon-clearing capabilities of COF-999, the researchers packed the powder into a stainless steel tube about the size of a straw and exposed it to outdoor Berkeley air for 20 days straight.

From Los Angeles Times

The retro-looking stainless steel spacecraft on top continued around the world once it was free of the booster.

From Los Angeles Times

Now, in the converted space, on rows of stainless tables, lay 13,000 bones exhumed from 46 graves — and 62 caskets — from the cemetery on the hill above Honolulu.

From Los Angeles Times