Word
latex
Phoneticsla·tex, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫeɪˌtɛks/
UK/lˈeɪtɛks/
日本語ラテックス※
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a milky white liquid that comes from certain plants, especially rubber trees. It is used to make products like gloves, balloons, and elastic materials.
n. a milky fluid found in many flowering plants, which coagulates on exposure to air; specifically, the sap of the rubber tree used as the raw material for natural rubber. Also refers to synthetic versions used in medical and industrial manufacturing.
Examples
“The doctor wore latex gloves during the examination.”
“Many hospitals have switched to non-latex alternatives because some patients have a severe allergy to natural rubber proteins.”
“The extraction of raw latex involves tapping the bark of the Hevea brasiliensis tree, a process that must be carefully managed to ensure the tree's long-term productivity.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor wore latex gloves during the examination.”
contextual
“Many hospitals have switched to non-latex alternatives because some patients have a severe allergy to natural rubber proteins.”
complex
“The extraction of raw latex involves tapping the bark of the Hevea brasiliensis tree, a process that must be carefully managed to ensure the tree's long-term productivity.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the material in general; countable when referring to specific chemical types or commercial varieties.
Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin latex (“clear fluid which is part of a humour or bodily fluid”), a later use of Latin latex (“water; liquid, fluid”). Potentially a borrowing from Ancient Greek λᾰ́τᾰξ (lắtăx, “drop of wine”), reformed by analogy to other nouns in -ex. The semantic shift, however, from drop of wine to water is difficult to explain and may indicate that both words originated from a separate language. Perhaps from the same root as Proto-Celtic latis (Old Irish laith (“liquid, beer”), Welsh llad (“beer”)) or Proto-Germanic ladjō- (Old High German letto (“clay, loam”), Old Norse leðja (“mud, dregs”)) or from a Pre-Greek language.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/latex
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0