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Definition of styrofoam

styrofoam

/ˈstaɪ.rəˌfoʊm/
sty · ro · foam
Plural:styrofoams
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styrofoam Lexical Profile

styrofoam Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A lightweight, rigid, cellular plastic material made of expanded or extruded polystyrene, commonly used for thermal insulation, protective packaging, and disposable food and beverage containers.

Example

"The fragile electronics were cushioned inside the cardboard box with blocks of molded styrofoam."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for styrofoam

Word Nuance & Usage

Although "Styrofoam" is a registered trademark of the DuPont (formerly Dow) Chemical Company for rigid extruded polystyrene building insulation, the lowercase genericized form "styrofoam" is widely used in North America to refer to disposable coffee cups, coolers, and packing peanuts made of expanded polystyrene (EPS).

• Nearby Words

stymie
styracosaurus
styrax
styrofoam
suave
suavely
suaveness

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the 1940s by the Dow Chemical Company as a trademark blending "styrene" (the chemical monomer from which polystyrene is made) and "foam".

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Styrofoam. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/styrofoam
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