Cling Film Is Cling Wrap Somewhere Else
To cling is to hold on tightly. The kitchen plastic named after the verb has a different name in almost every English-speaking country.
To cling is to hold on tightly, or to stick to a surface. The thin kitchen plastic is named after the verb, and every country picked a different name: *cling film* in Britain, *cling wrap* or *Glad Wrap* in Australia and New Zealand, *plastic wrap* or *Saran wrap* in the United States. Same product, four labels. The past tense is *clung*, one of the small group of English verbs that change their vowel instead of adding -ed.
- To hold tightly. *The child clung to her.*
- To stick. *The fabric clings.*
- To refuse to give up. *Clinging to hope.*
- Cling film — the kitchen plastic, British. *Cover it with cling film.*
- Clingy — too dependent. *A clingy friend.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | cling | Cling on. |
| Past | clung | He clung on. |
| Participle | clung | Has clung. |
| Adjective | clingy | A clingy dress. |
| Compound | cling film | Cling film. |
- The wet shirt clung to his back.Physical.
- They clung to the old system for years.Figurative.
- Wrap the bowl in cling film.British kitchen.
Same product, different names
- Cling film — Britain and Ireland
- Cling wrap or Glad Wrap — Australia and New Zealand
- Plastic wrap or Saran wrap — United States
- Kitchen roll (UK) — paper towels (US)
- Tinfoil (UK) — aluminum foil (US)
Old English *clingan*, to shrink or stick together, from a Germanic root. The past tense *clung* preserves the old vowel change.
Is it clinged or clung?
Clung. Cling is a strong verb, changing its vowel rather than taking -ed.
What do Americans call cling film?
Plastic wrap, or Saran wrap after a leading brand.