- molding or shaping matter; formative
- capable of being molded or shaped
- made of plastic
- in a flexible or changing state; impressionable
- dealing with molding or modeling, as in sculpture
- characterized by or exhibiting superficiality or a lack of originality; dehumanized, mass-produced, etc.: the plastic world of TV advertising
- hypocritically false or synthetic; phony: a plastic smile
- Informal of or designating a credit card or credit cards, or credit based on their use
- Biol. capable of readily changing or adapting in form, physiology, or behavior
- Med.
- of or helpful in the renewal of destroyed or injured tissue
- that can be so renewed
- Physics capable of continuous and permanent change of shape in any direction without breaking apart
Origin of plastic
Classical Latin plasticus from Classical Greek plastikos from plassein, to form, probably from Indo-European base an unverified form pl?-, flat, to smooth out from source plain- any of various nonmetallic compounds, synthetically produced, usually from organic compounds by polymerization, which can be molded into various forms and hardened, or formed into pliable sheets or films, fibers, flexible or hard foams, etc. for commercial use
- something made of plastic
- Informal a credit card or credit cards, or credit based on their use
