Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
Teflon en · ADJ
Pronunciation
/ˈtɛflɒn/
Etymology
Trade name, 1940s. From the first letters of tetra- (“four”) + fluoro- (“fluorine”) + -on modeled after nylon etc. From the fluorine count of polytetrafluoroethylene.
Meanings
(informal, not-comparable, of a person) Having an undamageable reputation (by analogy with nonstick Teflon surfaces).
He would have called the man by his first name and said, Not at all, so and so, but though he was very good at remembering names where clients were concerned, there was something very Teflon about these guys and nothing about them was sticking with him. 2010, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, The Godmother's Web, Gypsy Shadow Publishing, →ISBN, page 33:
a Teflon image
But Ronald Reagan, by everybody's definition, was the Teflon president, and it wasn't that the media tried to touch him and failed. 1995, Liz Cunningham, Talking Politics: Choosing the President in the Television Age:
Trade name, 1940s. From the first letters of tetra- (“four”) + fluoro- (“fluorine”) + -on modeled after nylon etc. From the fluorine count of polytetrafluoroethylene.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) Multiple film, resin, coatings, fabric and surface protectors made with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or fluoropolymer and surfactants not made with PTFE.
...tweeting in defiance at all those horrendous scandals that were meant to destroy his campaign. He made teflon look sticky. 2016 November 9, James Eagle, Donald Trump: Why is the world so surprised?, retrieved 30 Oct 2017:
Look at that there fool playing dirty tricks
He must be made of Teflon 'cause nothing ever sticks
Dancing 'round the room while farting in the breeze
Friends huff it down like it's American cheese 2022, “Follow the Fool”, performed by Primus:
(countable, uncountable) Synonym of polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”).
Trade name, 1940s. From the first letters of tetra- (“four”) + fluoro- (“fluorine”) + -on modeled after nylon etc. From the fluorine count of polytetrafluoroethylene.
Meanings
A brand name of polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”) products, latterly applied to other fluoropolymer products.