The methyl ester of methacrylic acid, CH₂=C(CH₃)COOCH₃, which is a volatile liquid that readily polymerizes to form a transparent plastic used as a glass substitute, sold under names such as Lucite, Perspex, and Plexiglas.
Origin
1930s; earliest use found in Chemical Abstracts.
Definition of methyl methacrylate in US English:
methyl methacrylate
noun
Chemistry
The methyl ester of methacrylic acid, CH₂=C(CH₃)COOCH₃, which is a volatile liquid that readily polymerizes to form a transparent plastic used as a glass substitute, sold under names such as Lucite, Perspex, and Plexiglas.