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Durex

(British, US) A brand of condom.

ˈdʌ.ɹɛksDocumented since 1920s1920sSilenthistoricalCurrent189 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
3 definitions
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Etymology timeline

Born ~1929 · 1 year of recorded use
1929Born2026: 1 citationToday, 2026

Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(British, US) A brand of condom.

Origin: Condom brand name: 1929, from durability, reliability, excellence. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(Australia) A brand of adhesive tape.

For parents

"Durex" means a brand of adhesive tape. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

For ESL learners

"Durex" is informal English meaning a brand of adhesive tape. It is mainly heard in Australian or New Zealand English. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a brand of adhesive tape" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "Durex" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.

Heard in the wild
  • “Wait until they’re doing craft & ask you for some durex.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK

(countable, British) A condom.

Pocket full of Durex, body full of Mandrex / Are we gonna have sex? Will you wear your knee socks?
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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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