# nylon

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈnaɪlɒn/ · frequency rank #16,762

## Definitions
1. Originally, the DuPont company trade name for polyamide, a copolymer whose molecules consist of alternating diamine and dicarboxylic acid monomers bonded together; now generically used for this type of polymer.
2. A stocking originally fabricated from nylon; also used generically for any long, sheer stocking worn on a woman's legs.
3. A Queen's Counsel, King's Counsel or Senior Counsel who was appointed as a courtesy, rather than on merit.

## Etymology
Coined by the company DuPont in 1938. According to the company, the name was formed from the random generic syllable nyl- + the common fiber suffix -on (as in rayon and Dacron), said to be ultimately from cotton.

## Easily confused with
- **non** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/non-vs-nylon)
- **noon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noon-vs-nylon)
- **neon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/neon-vs-nylon)
- **Nixon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nixon-vs-nylon)
- **Nolan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nolan-vs-nylon)
- **nelson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nelson-vs-nylon)
- **Naylor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/naylor-vs-nylon)

## Common misspellings (8)
`nlyon`, `nnylon`, `nyllon`, `nylno`, `nylonn`, `nyoln`, `nyylon`, `ynlon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/nylon