Definition

A type of plastic that changes when exposed to light, often used in dental fillings and for making printing plates.

Example

The dentist used a photopolymer to fill the cavity in my tooth.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of photopolymer materials?

Yeah, I think they use it for some dental fillings, right?

Exactly! It's cool how it reacts to light to harden.

Totally! I also saw they use it in making printing plates.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Photopolymer → It is formed from "photo-" (from Greek "phōs", meaning light) and "polymer" (from Greek "polus", meaning many, and "meros", meaning parts). The word refers to a substance that changes when exposed to light, specifically a material made of many parts that reacts to light.

Memory Tip

Think of 'light' ('photo-') causing a material made of 'many parts' ('polymer') to change — that's what a photopolymer does.

Visually Confused Words