polymerize

[ puh-lim-uh-rahyz, pol-uh-muh- ]

verb (used with object)

, po·lym·er·ized, po·lym·er·iz·ing.

1. to subject to polymerization.

verb (used without object)

, po·lym·er·ized, po·lym·er·iz·ing.

1. to undergo polymerization.

polymerize

/ pəˈlɪmə-; ˈpɒlɪməˌraɪz /

verb

1. to react or cause to react to form a polymer

Other Words From

• un·po·lymer·ized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polymerize¹

First recorded in 1860–65; polymer + -ize

Example Sentences

Last year a Mars rover discovered organic compounds, or substances that have been polymerized with carbon.

From Salon

They coated the cloth with two specialized monomers that were then polymerized.

From Science Daily

For one dispersion, the researchers coated the particles with the surfactant lauryl sulfate and polymerized acrylic acid, which together provide a negative charge in the neutral to alkaline pH range.

From Science Daily

Surrounding these strange tableaus are replicas of weathered cardboard, made from polymerized gypsum and cardboard, that lean on the gallery walls and seem to sigh alongside the ephemera that make up Magor’s clever arrangements.

From New York Times

Seasoning is what happens when fats are heated to a certain point that causes them to polymerize, or reorganize into something resembling a plastic coating, and bond to the metal.

From Washington Post