Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A thin, flexible, transparent cellulose material made from wood pulp and used as a moistureproof wrapping.
  • noun Plastic wrap.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun a transparent paper-like product made of regenerated cellulose, produced in sheets and rolls, which is impervious to moisture and germs, and which is used to wrap candy, cigarettes, and a wide variety of other products for distribution and retail sale.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun organic chemistry, uncountable Any of a variety of transparent plastic films, especially one made of processed cellulose.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a transparent paperlike product that is impervious to moisture and used to wrap candy or cigarettes etc.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Originally a trademark.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Genericized trademark. Blend of cellulose and diaphane.

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Examples

Comments

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  • A paperlike product, impervious to moisture, made of viscose; originally a trademark. Also cellophane tape.

    (makes me think of tinfoil) ;-) Tinfoil just sounds homier than the correct aluminum foil.

    July 22, 2007

  • I believe they spell it sellotape in the UK.

    PS totally agree about tinfoil!!

    July 22, 2007

  • One of the prime causes of demonic children in the 1950's.

    June 29, 2009

  • Yikes! That IS scary!

    June 29, 2009

  • See second comment at octopus.

    June 29, 2009

  • I love the illustration. Or is it a tinted/airbrushed photo?

    Looks like her eyes are focused on something other than her snack... maybe satan himself?

    June 29, 2009

  • You've got to wonder what's in that substance being spread on the bread.

    June 29, 2009

  • it's "I can't believe it's margerine"

    June 30, 2009

  • I have a feeling it's more like "I Can't Believe It's the Goat We Sacrificed on the Altar to Ba'al Last Night."

    June 30, 2009

  • I think she's praying that someone will loosen her pigtails. Maybe someone with long, pink fingernails.

    June 30, 2009

  • We don't have a list of wrappings?

    May 31, 2016

  • Good idea, bilby. I just came across "cling film" (actually "cling filmed") in a British novel. Of course I could tell it was what we call Saran(TM) Wrap, plastic wrap, or cling wrap, but I liked learning that the Brits call it cling film.

    June 1, 2016