melamine

noun

mel·​a·​mine ˈme-lə-ˌmēn How to pronounce melamine (audio)
1
: a white crystalline organic base C3H6N6 with a high melting point that is used especially in melamine resins
2
: a melamine resin or a plastic made from such a resin

Examples of melamine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Magic eraser: For scuff marks and stubborn dirt, magic erasers ($7) made of melamine can be amazingly effective. Simon Hill, WIRED, 7 July 2024 In 2008, China was rocked by one of its worst food safety scandals when melamine, a chemical used in plastic, was added to milk which poisoned 300,000 children and caused the deaths of six children. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 19 July 2024 In 2008, a major infant-formula manufacturer was exposed for adding melamine, a chemical that causes kidney stones, to milk powder to artificially increase the protein content. Pei-Lin Wu, Washington Post, 11 July 2024 At the time, Sanlu powdered milk products were contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine, which resulted in about 300,000 children getting sick and at least six deaths. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for melamine 

Word History

Etymology

German Melamin

First Known Use

circa 1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of melamine was circa 1835

Dictionary Entries Near melamine

Cite this Entry

“Melamine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melamine. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

melamine

noun
mel·​a·​mine ˈmel-ə-ˌmēn How to pronounce melamine (audio)
1
: a white crystalline organic base C3H6N6 with a high melting point that is used especially in making resins by reaction with aldehydes
2
: a resin made from melamine or a plastic made from such a resin

More from Merriam-Webster on melamine

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!