polyurethane

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Polyurethane is a synthetic material that can be made into coatings, foams, and adhesives. Varnish is a specific type of coating, often made from resins including polyurethane, but the word varnish does not describe the material itself. Resin is a much broader category of natural or synthetic substances from which polyurethane is chemically produced. Lacquer is a different type of coating that dries mainly by solvent evaporation and is generally less resistant to scratches and heat than polyurethane. For example, you would use polyurethane varnish on a wooden floor for long-lasting protection, while lacquer might be chosen for a decorative piece of furniture where a high-gloss finish matters more than durability.

Common collocations

Etymology

From the prefix 'poly-' (meaning 'many', from Greek 'polys') combined with 'urethane', a chemical compound whose name was first used in the 19th century. Polyurethane was first developed commercially in the 1930s and became widely used in manufacturing after the Second World War.