caoutchouc

caou·tchouc

 (kou′cho͝ok′, -cho͞ok′)

n.

See rubber¹.

---

[French, probably from Spanish caucho, from Tupí cau-ucha.]

caoutchouc

(ˈkaʊtʃuːk; -tʃʊk; kaʊˈtʃuːk; -ˈtʃʊk)

n

(Elements & Compounds) another name for rubber¹¹

[C18: from French, from obsolete Spanish cauchuc, from Quechua]

rub•ber¹

(ˈrʌb ər)

n.

1. a highly elastic solid substance, light cream or dark amber in color, polymerized by the drying and coagulation of the latex or milky juice of rubber trees and plants, esp. of the Hevea and Ficus species.

2. a material made by chemically treating and toughening this substance, used in the manufacture of electrical insulation, elastic bands, tires, and other products.

3. any of various similar substances and materials made synthetically.

4. an eraser of this material.

5. a low overshoe of this material.

6. rubber band.

7. an instrument or tool used for rubbing, polishing, scraping, etc.

8. a person who rubs something.

9. a person who gives massages.

10. Baseball. an oblong piece of white rubber or other material embedded in the pitcher's mound.

11. Slang. a condom.

adj.

12. made of, containing, or coated with rubber.

rub•ber²

(ˈrʌb ər)

n.

1. (in bridge) a series or round played until one side has won two out of three games.

2. Also called rub′ber match`. a deciding contest when a competition is tied.

[1585–95]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

caoutchouc - an elastic material obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus) that can be vulcanized and finished into a variety of products gum elastic, India rubber, natural rubber, rubber foam rubber - spongy rubber; made by introducing air bubbles before vulcanization and used for cushioning or upholstery latex - a milky exudate from certain plants that coagulates on exposure to air crepe rubber - crude natural rubber; used mainly for shoe soles cold rubber - a rubber made at low temperatures (5 degrees Centigrade) which is tougher than conventional rubber and is often used in car tires ebonite, hard rubber, vulcanite - a hard nonresilient rubber formed by vulcanizing natural rubber Para rubber - a type of natural rubber obtained from tropical South American trees