rubber
n. C / Un. a strong, stretchy material made from the juice of certain tropical plants or from chemicals. You use it to make things like tires, boots, and elastic bands.
n. a tough, elastic, polymeric substance made from the latex of tropical plants or synthetically. Often used as a modifier in compound nouns.
These boots are made of thick rubber.
The car skidded on the wet road because the rubber on the tires was worn down and smooth.
While natural rubber remains essential for high-performance aviation tires, synthetic alternatives have largely replaced it in consumer goods due to their lower production costs and chemical stability.
From rub + -er. The sense of the substance comes from its ability to function as an eraser, displacing earlier caoutchouc. The senses not pertaining to rubbing or erasing are secondarily derived from the name of the substance.
Unknown.
Uncountable when referring to the material in general; countable when referring to an eraser (UK) or a condom (US slang).
I need a rubber to fix my mistake (in US)I need an eraser to fix my mistakeIn American English, 'rubber' is slang for a condom; use 'eraser' for stationery to avoid embarrassment.