Vol. 10 · Portmanteaus ·Early 20th century ·1935
Plexiglas
plexi- glass
- Meaning
- A transparent acrylic plastic used as a glass substitute.
- Source words
- plexi- + glass
- Coined by
- Röhm & Haas
- Year
- 1935
Background
Trademarked by the German chemical company Röhm & Haas. *Plexi-* is from Greek *plexus* (network), referring to the polymer's long molecular chains. English usually spells it *Plexiglas* with one *s*; many speakers double it by analogy with *glass*.
Early 20th century
Industrialisation generated new things that needed new names, fast. Motoring, electricity, telecommunications, and urban pollution all produced portmanteaus within a generation of their arrival.
Two words, one coinage.
Browse every portmanteau on the shelf — or cross over to the loanwords atlas.