polyvinylpyrrolidone

A form of polyvinyl pyrrolidone — A water-soluble polymer used in pharmaceutical products, paint and as an adhesive for postage stamps and envelopes.

OriginEnglish pyrrolidone ← German Keton ← Ancient Greek πῠρρός (pŭrrhós) →
Scrabble 37
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Meanings

nounpolyvinylpyrrolidone (countable and uncountable, plural polyvinylpyrrolidones)

plural polyvinylpyrrolidones

  1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative spelling of polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
crospovidone

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*polh₁ús
  3. Ancient Greekπολῠ́ς (polŭ́s)
  4. Englishpoly-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*weh₁y-?
  6. Proto-Indo-European*wéyh₁ō
  7. Proto-Italic*wīnom
  8. Latinvīnum
  9. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  10. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  11. Englishvinyl
  12. Englishpolyvinyl
  13. Proto-Indo-European*péh₂wr̥
  14. Proto-Hellenic*pāwər
  15. Ancient Greekπῦρ (pûr)
  16. Ancient Greekπῠρρός (pŭrrhós)
  17. GermanPyrro
  18. Englishpyrrole
  19. Englishpyrrolidine
  20. GermanKeton
  21. Englishketone
  22. Englishpyrrolidone
  23. Englishpolyvinylpyrrolidone

From polyvinyl + pyrrolidone.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

polyvinylpyrrolidone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyvinylpyrrolidone

MLA

“polyvinylpyrrolidone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyvinylpyrrolidone. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polyvinylpyrrolidone,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Source: polyvinylpyrrolidone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.