disposable

/dis'pouzəbl/

Thân thiện

A child drinks juice from a disposable paper cup at a picnic.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Designed to be thrown away after use: Refers to items intended for single or limited use before being discarded.
   • Available for use or at one's disposal: Refers to resources, such as time, money, or assets, that are free to be used or allocated.

2. Noun:

   • An item designed to be thrown away after use: A product, typically inexpensive, made for single or short-term use.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • Disposable paper plates are convenient for picnics.
  • After paying the bills, she calculated her disposable income for the month.
• Noun:
  • The hospital uses medical disposables like syringes and gloves to prevent infection.

Advanced Usage

• "Disposable income": The amount of money a person has available to spend or save after taxes and other mandatory charges have been paid.
  • The tax cut increased the average family's disposable income.
• "Disposable society": A term criticizing a culture characterized by excessive consumption and waste of short-lived products.
  • The documentary examined the environmental impact of our disposable society.

Variants and Related Words

• Dispose (verb): To get rid of something; to arrange or settle a matter.
• Disposal (noun): The act or means of getting rid of something; the power or authority to use something.
  • The waste disposal system is very efficient.
  • He had a considerable sum at his disposal.

Synonyms

• Adjective (for items): Expendable, one-use, single-use, throwaway.
• Adjective (for resources): Available, usable, spendable, accessible.

Related Phrases

• Disposable camera: A simple, inexpensive camera designed to be used once and then returned for film development, with the camera body often being recycled.
  • We bought a disposable camera for our beach trip.
• Disposable contact lenses: Soft contact lenses designed to be worn for a short period (e.g., daily, weekly) and then discarded.
  • She prefers disposable contact lenses for their convenience and hygiene.

Idioms

No common idioms are directly formed with the word "disposable".

Học thuật

Adjective

1. designed to be disposed of after use
   • disposable paper cups
2. free or available for use or disposition
   • every disposable piece of equipment was sent to the fire
   • disposable assets

Noun

1. an item that can be disposed of after it has been used