rexine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Historical
Quick answer
What does “rexine” mean?
A type of artificial leather or imitation leather, typically made from cloth coated with nitrocellulose or other materials.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of artificial leather or imitation leather, typically made from cloth coated with nitrocellulose or other materials.
A durable, washable material used historically for upholstery, bookbinding, and covering items like suitcases and chairs; a trademark that became a generic term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More likely to be recognised in British English due to historical UK manufacturing; American English more commonly uses 'imitation leather', 'vinyl', or 'leatherette'.
Connotations
In UK, may evoke mid-20th century furniture or school satchels; in US, if recognised, suggests antique or vintage items.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both varieties; primarily found in historical texts, antique descriptions, or specialised upholstery contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “rexine” in a Sentence
made of rexinecovered in rexineupholstered with rexineVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “rexine” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The rexine seats had begun to crack.
- It was a typical rexine-covered school satchel.
American English
- The rexine binding on the old ledger was peeling.
- They found a rexine-upholstered footstool in the attic.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might appear in historical company records or antique furniture trade.
Academic
Used in material history, design history, or conservation studies discussing early synthetic materials.
Everyday
Virtually never used in contemporary conversation; might be recognised by older generations.
Technical
Appears in upholstery restoration, bookbinding conservation, or museum cataloguing of early 20th-century objects.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “rexine”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “rexine”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “rexine”
- Misspelling as 'rexyne' or 'rexene'.
- Assuming it is a current, commonly used term.
- Confusing it with modern synthetic leathers like 'microfiber' or 'polyurethane leather'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The original Rexine trademark is largely historical. Similar materials are produced but are usually called 'vinyl' or 'leatherette'.
Yes, by specialists in upholstery or book conservation, using techniques for vintage coated fabrics.
It was designed to be water-resistant and washable, but old rexine can become brittle and crack.
Rexine typically used a nitrocellulose coating on cloth, while modern PVC leather uses a polyvinyl chloride layer. They are different generations of artificial leather.
A type of artificial leather or imitation leather, typically made from cloth coated with nitrocellulose or other materials.
Rexine is usually technical/historical in register.
Rexine: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrɛksaɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈrɛksaɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: REX (like a dinosaur) + INE (like 'machine') → an old-fashioned material that was a 'machine-made' alternative to leather.
Conceptual Metaphor
None established.
Practice
Quiz
Rexine is best described as: