laminate
laminate — noun
1. a strong material created by bonding thin layers of a substance together under h
a strong material created by bonding thin layers of a substance together under heat and pressure, often used for surfaces such as flooring, countertops, or furniture.
Diego chose a dark oak laminate for the library floor.
collocation: oak laminate / dark laminate
The table top is made of a strong laminate that does not scratch easily.
attributive: laminate + noun (table top)
Sayaka installed white laminate panels on the kitchen walls.
collocation: laminate panels
Some countertops use a thin laminate bonded to particleboard.
- oak laminate
- laminate flooring
- laminate countertop
- laminate panel
- laminate surface
- heat-resistant laminate
- bonded laminate
- composite material
broader term; refers to any material made from two or more different materials combined, not necessarily in thin layers
- veneer
specifically a thin decorative layer of fine wood glued onto a cheaper surface; narrower in scope
- plywood
a specific type of laminate made of wood veneer layers; less general
Grammar Patterns
laminate + noun (attributive)
made of / made from + laminate
Usage Note
As an uncountable noun, laminate refers to the material in general; as a countable noun, it can refer to a specific type or sheet of the material (e.g., 'a heat-resistant laminate').
Common Mistakes
laminate — verb
1. to apply a thin transparent plastic film over paper, cards, or documents so that
to apply a thin transparent plastic film over paper, cards, or documents so that they resist dirt, tearing, and wear over time.
Christopher laminated his ID card so it would not bend.
passive: laminated card
The restaurant laminated all its menus to keep them clean.
collocation: laminate + menu
Eve asked the print shop to laminate her child's artwork.
If you laminate the poster, it will survive being handled by many people.
conditional: if you laminate + noun
This paper does not laminate well because the ink smudges under heat.
intransitive: paper + laminates + adverb
- laminate a card
- laminate a document
- laminate a menu
- laminate a photo
- laminate paper
- laminated ID
- laminate for protection
Grammar Patterns
laminate + noun phrase (object)
laminate + noun + for + noun
noun phrase + laminates + adverb
Usage Note
This sense is frequently used in passive form ('the document was laminated'). The intransitive use typically includes an adverb describing how easily the material accepts the coating (e.g., 'this card stock laminates beautifully').
Common Mistakes
2. to fuse multiple thin sheets of a substance such as wood, glass, or plastic into
to fuse multiple thin sheets of a substance such as wood, glass, or plastic into one solid piece by using glue, heat, or pressure, often to create stronger or safer materials.
The factory laminates sheets of glass with a plastic layer to make safety glass.
transitive: laminate [material1] with [material2]
Quan's company laminates plywood from thin layers of birch wood.
The windshield is made by laminating two layers of glass with a thin plastic film between them.
passive: is made by laminating…
To make lightweight furniture, the team laminates foam between two layers of fabric.
collocation: laminate [foam] between [layers]
- laminate glass
- laminate wood
- laminate layers
- laminate with adhesive
- laminate under pressure
- safety glass is laminated
- laminate together
- separate
the opposite action — taking layers apart rather than joining them
- delaminate
technical term for layers coming apart
Grammar Patterns
laminate + noun phrase + with + noun phrase
laminate + noun phrase + together
be made by laminating + noun phrase + and + noun phrase
Usage Note
Frequently passive when describing finished products ('the glass is laminated for safety'). The subject is usually a manufacturer, factory, or production team. This sense is distinct from sense 1 in that it involves industrial materials rather than paper documents.
Common Mistakes
3. to prepare pastry dough by repeatedly folding butter into it and rolling it out,
to prepare pastry dough by repeatedly folding butter into it and rolling it out, producing many thin, separate layers that become light and flaky when baked.
To make croissants, the baker laminates the dough by folding butter into it repeatedly.
collocation: laminate dough for croissants
Élise spent the morning laminating pastry for the puff-pastry tarts.
The recipe says to laminate the dough six times for the flakiest result.
pattern: laminate + dough + [number] + times
Sofie learned to laminate dough in her first week at the French bakery.
- laminate dough
- laminate pastry
- laminate for croissants
- laminate for puff pastry
- laminate for Danishes
- laminate by folding butter
- laminate six times
Grammar Patterns
laminate + dough
laminate + dough + for + noun (baked good)
laminate + noun phrase + [number] + times
Usage Note
Almost exclusively used in baking and pastry contexts. The object is always a type of dough (puff pastry, croissant dough, Danish pastry dough). The process is also called 'turning' the dough. Not used for non-food contexts.