plastic

¹

[ plas-tik ]

noun

1. Often any of a group of synthetic or natural organic materials that may be shaped when soft and then hardened, including many types of resins, resinoids, polymers, cellulose derivatives, casein materials, and proteins: used in place of other materials, as glass, wood, and metals, in construction and decoration, for making many articles, as coatings, and, drawn into filaments, for weaving. They are often known by trademark names, as Bakelite, Vinylite, or Lucite.
2. a credit card, or credit cards collectively, usually made of plastic:

   He had a whole pocketful of plastic.

3. money, payment, or credit represented by the use of a credit card or cards.
4. something, or a group of things, made of or resembling plastic:

   The entire meal was served on plastic.

adjective

1. made of plastic.
2. capable of being molded or of receiving form:

   clay and other plastic substances.

3. produced by molding:

   plastic figures.

4. having the power of molding or shaping formless or yielding material:

   the plastic forces of nature.

5. being able to create, especially within an art form; having the power to give form or formal expression:

   the plastic imagination of great poets and composers.

6. Fine Arts.
   1. concerned with or pertaining to molding or modeling; sculptural.
   2. relating to three-dimensional form or space, especially on a two-dimensional surface.
   3. pertaining to the tools or techniques of drawing, painting, or sculpture:

      the plastic means.

   4. characterized by an emphasis on formal structure:

      plastic requirements of a picture.

7. pliable; impressionable:

   the plastic mind of youth.

   Synonyms: amenable, flexible, pliant

8. giving the impression of being made of or furnished with plastic:

   We stayed at one of those plastic motels.

9. artificial or insincere; synthetic; phony:

   jeans made of cotton, not some plastic substitute; a plastic smile.

10. lacking in depth, individuality, or permanence; superficial, dehumanized, or mass-produced:

    a plastic society interested only in material acquisition.

11. of or relating to the use of credit cards:

    plastic credit; plastic money.

12. Biology, Pathology. formative.
13. Surgery. concerned with or pertaining to the remedying or restoring of malformed, injured, or lost parts:

    a plastic operation.

-plastic

²

1. a combining form occurring in chloroplastic; protoplastic.

-plastic

¹

combining form

1. growing or forming

   neoplastic

plastic

²

/ ˈplɑːs-; ˈplæstɪk /

noun

1. any one of a large number of synthetic usually organic materials that have a polymeric structure and can be moulded when soft and then set, esp such a material in a finished state containing plasticizer, stabilizer, filler, pigments, etc. Plastics are classified as thermosetting (such as Bakelite) or thermoplastic (such as PVC) and are used in the manufacture of many articles and in coatings, artificial fibres, etc Compare resin
2. short for plastic money

adjective

1. made of plastic
2. easily influenced; impressionable

   the plastic minds of children

3. capable of being moulded or formed
4. fine arts
   1. of or relating to moulding or modelling

      the plastic arts

   2. produced or apparently produced by moulding

      the plastic draperies of Giotto's figures

5. having the power to form or influence

   the plastic forces of the imagination

6. biology of or relating to any formative process; able to change, develop, or grow

   plastic tissues

7. of or relating to plastic surgery
8. slang.
   superficially attractive yet unoriginal or artificial

   plastic food

plastic

/ plăs′tĭk /

Noun

1. Any of numerous substances that can be shaped and molded when subjected to heat or pressure. Plastics are easily shaped because they consist of long-chain molecules known as polymers, which do not break apart when flexed. Plastics are usually artificial resins but can also be natural substances, as in certain cellular derivatives and shellac. Plastics can be pressed into thin layers, formed into objects, or drawn into fibers for use in textiles. Most do not conduct electricity well, are low in density, and are often very tough. Polyvinyl chloride, methyl methacrylate, and polystyrene are plastics.
2. See more at thermoplastic

Adjective

1. Capable of being molded or formed into a shape.

Derived Forms

• ˈplastically, adverb

Other Words From

• plasti·cal·ly plastic·ly adverb
• non·plastic adjective noun
• un·plastic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plastic¹

1625–35; 1900–10 plastic fordef 1; < Latin plasticus that may be molded < Greek plastikós. See -plast, -ic

Origin of plastic²

plastic

Word History and Origins

Origin of plastic¹

from Greek plastikos; see plastic

Origin of plastic²

C17: from Latin plasticus relating to moulding, from Greek plastikos, from plassein to form

Example Sentences

“If you walk into retail establishments, everything you want is behind locked plastic cases, “ McDonnell said.

From Los Angeles Times

Just over a year ago, after a massive explosion in the parking area of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza killed 471 people and wounded hundreds more, plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, who was performing surgery at Al-Ahli when the roof fell in, gave an extraordinary press conference.

From Salon

The study, conducted by Silent Spring and UC Berkeley researchers, suggests the law helped to reduce exposure to toxic substances commonly found in diesel exhaust and plastic materials.

From Los Angeles Times

The green plastic stem and black button in the centre of the poppy have been done away with to reduce plastic waste.

From BBC

By 2026, these new-style poppies will have completely replaced the plastic and paper ones that we've been used to in the past.

From BBC

Related Words

• elastic
• molded