acetate
n. C / Un. a type of chemical or plastic material used to make things like film, clothing, and clear sheets for overhead projectors. It is often used in fashion because it looks like silk but is cheaper to produce.
n. a salt or ester of acetic acid, or a synthetic fiber or plastic derived from cellulose. Often used in the textile industry to create fabrics with a silk-like sheen or in the production of transparent photographic film.
The designer chose acetate for the dress because of its shiny finish.
Teachers used to write on clear acetate sheets so the class could see the notes on a screen.
The preservation of early cinematic history is complicated by the fact that cellulose acetate film base eventually decomposes, a process often referred to as vinegar syndrome.
Formed from the root of Latin acētum (“vinegar”) + -ate, from aceō (“I am sour”). By surface analysis, acet- + -ate.
Uncountable when referring to the chemical substance or material; countable when referring to specific chemical salts or individual transparent sheets.