Latex is a substance obtained from some kinds of trees, which is used to make products like rubber and glue.
latex in British English
(ˈleɪtɛks)
nounWord forms: plurallatexes or latices (ˈlætɪˌsiːz)
1.
a whitish milky fluid containing protein, starch, alkaloids, etc, that is produced by many plants. Latex from the rubber tree is used in the manufacture of rubber
2.
a suspension of synthetic rubber or plastic in water, used in the manufacture of synthetic rubber products, etc
Word origin
C19: New Latin, from Latin: liquid, fluid
latex in American English
(ˈleɪˌtɛks)
nounWord forms: pluralˈlatiˌces (ˈlætɪˌsiz) or ˈlaˌtexes
1.
a milky liquid containing resins, proteins, etc., present in certain plants and trees, as the rubber tree, milkweed, and poppy: used esp. as the basis of rubber
2.
a suspension in water of particles of natural or synthetic rubber or plastic: used in rubber goods, adhesives, paints, etc.
Word origin
L latex (gen. laticis), a fluid, liquid < Gr latax, a drop, wine lees < IE base *lat-, wet > MIr laith, beer
Examples of 'latex' in a sentence
latex
Rubber bands are a natural product made of latex.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It sounds as though you may have an allergy to latex.
The Sun (2015)
It is the first known study to quantify the presence of latex in food and packaging.