A strong plastic made in thin sheets, used especially to cover tables and kitchen counters so the top is hard, smooth, and easy to wipe. It began as a brand name and then became a common word for that kind of surface, the way people say a brand when they mean the stuff.

A strong plastic一種堅固的塑膠 made in thin sheets做成薄片， used especially用來 to cover tables and kitchen counters鋪在桌子和廚房檯面上 so使得 the top表面 is hard, smooth, and easy to wipe又硬又滑又好擦。 It它 began as a brand name原本是個品牌名稱， and then became a common word後來變成 for that kind of surface這種表面材質的通稱， the way people say a brand when they mean the stuff就像大家常用品牌名來指那種東西一樣。

The company coined the name in 1913 to mean “for mica”: they wanted a cheaper stand-in for mica, a mineral then used to keep electricity from jumping where it should not. Later the same kind of sheet became famous on kitchen tops, not only in electrical parts.

The company那家公司 coined the name在1913年創了這個名字 in 1913 to mean “for mica”意思是「for mica（給雲母用的）」： they wanted a cheaper stand-in for mica他們想要一個比雲母便宜的替代品， a mineral雲母是一種礦物 then used當時被用來 to keep electricity from jumping where it should not防止電流亂竄。 Later後來， the same kind of sheet同一種薄片 became famous on kitchen tops因為廚房檯面而出名， not only in electrical parts不只是用在電器零件上。

In speech you hear a Formica table, Formica counters. A capital F is still common because it is a trademark, though people often treat it as an ordinary noun.

In speech在口語裡 you hear你會聽到 a Formica table, Formica counters「a Formica table」、「Formica counters」這種說法。 A capital F大寫的F開頭 is still common還是很常見， because it is a trademark因為它是個商標， though people often treat it as an ordinary noun雖然大家常把它當一般名詞用。

Though actually, it is not made from ants, and it is not a fancy spelling of form.

Though actually,不過其實， it is not made from ants它不是用螞蟻做的， and it is not a fancy spelling of form也不是form這個字的花俏拼法。