Phonetic transcription /ˈbeɪkəlaɪt/
A portmanteau created from two parts:
Bakel-: Named after Leo Baekeland, the Belgian-American chemist who invented the substance in 1907.
-ite: A suffix derived from the Greek -ites, meaning belonging to or associated with. In science and mineralogy, this suffix is used to denote a mineral, rock, or fossil .
Definition#
The world’s first fully synthetic plastic.
Syn:
Phraseology#
Literary quotes#
Encyclopaedic notes#
1. Bakelite, now extremely collectable under this and several other brand names, was invented in 1907 by Leo. H. Baekland as he searched for a formula for synthetic shellac. This first form of synthetic plastic has a wide range of industrial and decorative uses. It became very popular between the 1920s and 1950s and was widely used for buttons and costume jewelry. Coco Chanel and other designers used it to fantastic fashion effect.
Sarajane Helm, Create a Polymer Clay Impression, 2011, Penguin Publishing Group.
https://www.google.it/books/edition/Create_a_Polymer_Clay_Impression/lr-rDwAAQBAJ?hl=it&gbpv=1&dq=Bakelite,+now+extremely+collectable+under+this+and+several+other+brand+names,+was+invented+in+1907+by+Leo.+H.+Baekland+as+he+searched+for+a+formula+for+synthetic+shellac.+This+first+form+of+synthetic+plastic+has+a+wide+range+of+industrial+and+decorative+uses.+It+became+very+popular+between+the+1920s+and+1950s+and+was+widely+used+for+buttons+and+costume+jewelry.+Coco+Chanel+and+other+designers+used+it+to+fantastic+fashion+effect.&pg=PT163&printsec=frontcover 2. Bakelite jewelry was popular from the 1920s through the early 1940s. Costume-jewelry designers used it for everything-from bangle bracelets to brightly colored jewelry ornaments shaped like animals, vegetables, and insects.
Anna M. Miller, Gems and Jewelry Appraising. Techniques of Professional Practice, 2012, Springer US, p. 101.
https://www.google.it/books/edition/Gems_and_Jewelry_Appraising/3OzTBwAAQBAJ?hl=it&gbpv=1&dq=Bakelite+jewelry+was+popular+from+the+1920s+through+the+early+1940s.+Costume-jewelry+designers+used+it+for+everything-from+bangle+bracelets+to+brightly+colored+jewelry+ornaments+shaped+like+animals,+vegetables,+and+insects.&pg=PA101&printsec=frontcover
