---
title: polymer — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «polymer» in the school dictionary: A polymer is a substance made of very long chain-like molecules, built from many small units (called monomers) joined together. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polymer/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [P](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/) / polymer

# polymer

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** polymer, many small units, Plastics, Plastic, We, slime · **What happens:** be, make, build, call, join, come · **To what, where:** substance, long like molecules, many small units, monomers, polymers, many natural things · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«polymer» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [polymer in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/polymer.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: science — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A polymer is a substance made of very long chain-like molecules, built from many small units (called monomers) joined together.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:m1:1
# text = A polymer is a substance made of very long chain-like molecules, built from many small units (called monomers) joined together.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	polymer	polymer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	substance	substance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
8	very	very	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
10	chain	chain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	molecules	molecule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl	_	_
16	from	from	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
18	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	units	unit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	_
20	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	acl	_	_
22	monomers	monomer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	21	punct	_	_
24	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	21	xcomp	_	_
25	together	together	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a polymer | a substance |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a substance *not said here* |  |  |  | of long like molecules | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 3 | **build** | participle |  | long like molecules *not said here* |  | many small units |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from unit=Material |
| 4 | **call** | participle | many small units *not said here* | monomers |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **join** | participle | many small units *not said here* |  |  |  |  | together *property* | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Plastics are polymers, but so are many natural things such as rubber, wool, silk, starch and the DNA in our cells.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:m2:1
# text = Plastics are polymers, but so are many natural things such as rubber, wool, silk, starch and the DNA in our cells.
1	Plastics	plastic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	polymers	polymer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
5	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
11	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	13	case	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	rubber	rubber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	silk	silk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	DNA	DNA	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	25	nmod:poss	_	_
25	cells	cell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Plastics | polymers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | many natural things |  |  |  | such rubber and wool and silk and starch and the DNA in our cells | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Plastic is a polymer made from many small molecules joined in a chain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:x1:1
# text = Plastic is a polymer made from many small molecules joined in a chain.
1	Plastic	plastic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	polymer	polymer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	molecules	molecule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	chain	chain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Plastic | a polymer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a polymer *not said here* |  | many small molecules |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from molecule=Material |
| 3 | **join** | participle |  | many small molecules *not said here* |  |  |  | in a chain | vn cooperate-73.1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in chain=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made slime in class, and it is a kind of polymer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:x2:1
# text = We made slime in class, and it is a kind of polymer.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	slime	slime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	polymer	polymer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | We | slime |  | class |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent slime=Product |
| 2 | **is a** | present | slime | a kind |  |  |  | of polymer | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rubber is a natural polymer that comes from trees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:x3:1
# text = Rubber is a natural polymer that comes from trees.
1	Rubber	rubber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	polymer	polymer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Rubber | a natural polymer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** | present | a natural polymer |  |  | trees |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from tree=Initial\_Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Australian and British banknotes are made of polymer, not paper.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:x4:1
# text = Australian and British banknotes are made of polymer, not paper.
1	Australian	Australian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	banknotes	banknote	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	polymer	polymer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | Australian banknotes |  |  |  | of polymer | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Silk and wool are natural polymers made by animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:x5:1
# text = Silk and wool are natural polymers made by animals.
1	Silk	silk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	polymers	polymer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Silk and wool | natural polymers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | natural polymers *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some polymers take hundreds of years to break down.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:x6:1
# text = Some polymers take hundreds of years to break down.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	polymers	polymer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	take	take	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	hundreds	hundred	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	break	break	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	down	down	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | some polymers | hundreds of years |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hundred=Theme |
| 2 | **break down** | to-infinitive | some polymers *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn break-45.1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A polymer chain is like a long string of beads.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:polymer:x7:1
# text = A polymer chain is like a long string of beads.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	polymer	polymer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	chain	chain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	beads	bead	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a polymer chain |  |  |  |  | like a long string; of beads | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [polygraph](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polygraph/)
- next →: [polynesian](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polynesian/)
- ↑ back to [P in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/)