velcro
velcro Lexical Profile
velcro Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A fastener for clothing or other items, consisting of two strips of thin plastic sheet, one covered with tiny loops and the other with tiny flexible hooks, which adhere when pressed together.
"The toddler's sneakers fastened with velcro instead of shoelaces."
• verb
To fasten, attach, or secure something using a hook-and-loop fastener.
"She velcroed the protective pads onto her knees before skating."
Word Nuance & Usage
Originally a registered trademark, 'Velcro' is frequently used generically in lowercase ('velcro') as both a noun and a verb to describe any hook-and-loop fastener.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 1950s by Swiss engineer George de Mestral as a portmanteau of the French words 'velours' (velvet) and 'crochet' (hook), inspired by the way burdock burrs clung to his clothes and his dog's fur.