Formica
pronunciation
How to pronounce Formica in British English:
UK [fɔ:ˈmaɪkə]
How to pronounce Formica in American English:
US [fɔrˈmaɪkə]
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- Noun:
- any of various plastic laminates containing melamine
- type genus of the Formicidae
Word Origin
- Formica (1)
- proprietary name (1922) of a product manufactured originally by Formica Insulation Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. (founded 1913). According to the company, the material (originally marketed as an industrial insulator) was so called because it could be used for mica, i.e., in place of mica, a more expensive natural insulator. Primarily used in consumer goods since c. 1945.
- Formica (2)
- ant genus, 1843, from Latin formica "an ant," dissimilated from PIE *morwi- "ant" (cognates: Sanskrit vamrah "ant," Greek myrmex, Old Church Slavonic mraviji, Old Irish moirb, Old Norse maurr, Welsh myrion; and compare second element in pismire).
Example
- 1. We now go live to violence channel correspondent formica davis .
- 2. Even the chrome and the white formica glow from within .
- 3. She went down the stairs and sat at the old kitchen table with the yellow formica top .
- 4. Mr formica presided over his first set of annual results in february .
- 5. Mr formica had been in charge of henderson for only a few months when he bid for a troubled asset manager that was on the block .