A device used to measure the hardness of a material, especially rubber, plastic, or other soft materials.
From Latin 'durus' (hard) combined with Greek '-meter' (measure), literally meaning 'hardness-measurer.' This scientific instrument term was created in the early 20th century as materials science developed.
Engineers use durometers to test everything from tires to phone cases—the scale ranges from 0-100, and it's the reason some rubbers feel bouncy while others feel stiff, making it invisible but essential to almost every product you touch.
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