laminate

1.

/ˈlæməˌneɪt/

cover with a thin sheet of plastic or other material

2.

/ˈlæmənət/

a sheet of material made by bonding two or more layers

Other forms: laminated; laminates; laminating

To laminate is to make something, especially paper, stronger and thicker by layering sheets of clear plastic over it. You might want to laminate your flimsy library card to protect it.

Today all states laminate drivers' licenses, making them a sturdy plastic card rather than the insubstantial piece of paper they used to be. You might decide to laminate a poster for a school presentation you're giving, or laminate some old photos to protect them. Most methods used to laminate involve heat and some type of sticky or adhesive substance. The Latin root is lamina, "thin slice, leaf, or layer."

Definitions of laminate (/ˈlæməˌneɪt/)

1. verb

   cover with a thin sheet of non-fabric material
   “laminate the table”

   type of:

   cover

   provide with a covering or cause to be covered
2. verb

   create laminate by bonding sheets of material with a bonding material
   type of:

   create, make, produce

   create or manufacture a man-made product
3. verb

   press or beat (metals) into thin sheets
   type of:

   flatten

   make flat or flatter
4. verb

   split (wood) into thin sheets
   type of:

   cleave, rive, split

   separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument