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formica

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formica¹

  • /fɔɹˈmaɪkə/

Where it comes from

Genericized trademark from Formica; by surface analysis, for + mica. Compare formic and mire (“ant”, obsolete).

noun formicas

  1. countable, uncountable A heat-resistant laminate material used to veneer countertops.

    Similar: arborite

Formica²

Where it comes from

Coined in 1913 as a brand name for the material and the company producing it. Formica was originally intended as a replacement “for mica”, which was then commonly used for electrical insulation. Likely a play on words with either formic or the genus name Formica (wood ants), from Latin formīca (“ant”), these ants being the original source of formic acid, after which formaldehyde, an ingredient in the resin, was also named.

proper noun formica

  1. A plastic laminate material. She creamed in her jeans as he picked up her knees / From off of the Formica topped bar

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MLA

"formica." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/formica. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

formica. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/formica

Chicago

"formica." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/formica.

BibTeX
@misc{formica_2026,
  title = {formica},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/formica},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}