Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Resistant to breaking into sharp, dangerous fragments: Describes a material, typically glass or a similar substance, that is designed or treated to resist shattering into small, sharp pieces (splinters) upon impact.

Usage

• The primary function of a splinterproof material is safety. It is engineered to hold together or break in a less hazardous manner to prevent injury from flying shards.
• It is commonly used as a technical specification for safety glass in vehicles, protective eyewear, or windows in high-risk areas.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The laboratory installed splinterproof glass in all its windows for added safety.
  • Modern car side windows are often splinterproof to protect passengers during an accident.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Specification: In engineering and materials science, "splinterproof" is a key property for laminates and tempered glass.
  • The safety standards require the viewing panel to be splinterproof.

Variants and Related Words

• Shatterproof (adjective): Very similar in meaning, often used interchangeably. It emphasizes resistance to breaking into pieces.
  • Shatterproof sunglasses are essential for certain sports.
• Laminated glass (noun phrase): A type of glass that is splinterproof, consisting of layers bonded with a plastic interlayer.
• Tempered glass (noun phrase): Glass treated to be much stronger than ordinary glass and to crumble into small granular chunks instead of splintering.

Synonyms

• Shatter-resistant
• Safety (as in )
• Impact-resistant (broader term, can include resistance to denting as well as shattering)

Antonyms

• Brittle
• Frangible
• Shatter-prone

Notes

• While splinterproof and shatterproof are often synonymous, "splinterproof" can more specifically imply resistance to forming long, sharp splinters, whereas "shatterproof" broadly means resistant to breaking apart. In common usage, especially for consumer products like glass, the terms are functionally equivalent.

Adjective

1. resistant to shattering or splintering
   • shatterproof automobile windows