sun protection factor

noun

An indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective when applied to the skin.

“If someone normally burns in 10 minutes with no sunscreen, then a sunscreen with sun protection factor 20 will provide protection for up to 20 × 10 = 200 minutes.”

Similar
SPF
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Meanings

nounsun protection factor (plural sun protection factors)

plural sun protection factors

  1. An indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective when applied to the skin.

    If someone normally burns in 10 minutes with no sunscreen, then a sunscreen with sun protection factor 20 will provide protection for up to 20 × 10 = 200 minutes.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe degree to which a sunscreen protects the skin from the direct rays of the sun

Similar
SPF
Broader
degreegradelevel

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 防曬係數 /防晒系数, 防曬指數 /防晒指数
  • 防曬係數 /防晒系数 (fángshài xìshù)an indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
  • 防曬指數 /防晒指数 (fángshài zhǐshù)an indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
  • 防日光係數 /防日光系数 (fángrìguāng xìshù)an indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
Finnish auringonsuojakerroin, suojakerroin
  • auringonsuojakerroinan indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
  • suojakerroinan indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
French indice de protection solaire
  • indice de protection solairean indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
German Lichtschutzfaktor
  • Lichtschutzfaktoran indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
Norwegian Bokmål solfaktor
  • solfaktoran indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
Polish wskaźnik ochrony przeciwsłonecznej
  • wskaźnik ochrony przeciwsłonecznejan indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
Spanish factor de protección solar
  • factor de protección solaran indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
Swedish solskyddsfaktor
  • solskyddsfaktoran indication of how long a sunscreen remains effective
Cite this entry
APA

sun protection factor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sun%20protection%20factor

MLA

“sun protection factor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sun%20protection%20factor. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sun protection factor,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sun%20protection%20factor.

Source: sun protection factor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.