Plastic Definition
plăstĭk
adjective
Capable of being molded or shaped.
Webster's New World
Having the qualities of sculpture; well-formed.
American Heritage
Dealing with molding or modeling, as in sculpture.
Webster's New World
Giving form or shape to a substance.
The plastic forces that create and wear down a mountain range.
American Heritage
Molding or shaping matter; formative.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
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noun
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.
Webster's New World
Something made of plastic.
Webster's New World
A credit card or credit cards, or credit based on their use.
Webster's New World
The first plastic was invented in 1855 by Alexander Parkes who invented an imitation ivory out of cellulose that he deemed Parkesine. This material, the first cellulose-based plastic would later be known as celluloid.
YourDictionary
In 1909 synthetic plastics made from chemicals such as formaldehyde and phenol were invented by the Belgian-American inventor Leo Baekeland. They eventually became known as Bakelite. It was much less flammable than cellulose, more durable, and easier to produce.
YourDictionary
Synonyms:
- polymerized substance
- processed material
- plastic material
- synthetic compound
- substitute
- synthetic
- charge plate
- charge-card
- credit card
- vinyl
- polystyrene
- polymer
- plasticity
- malleability
- linoleum
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suffix
Forming; growing; changing; developing.
Metaplastic.
American Heritage
affix
Forming, developing.
Homoplastic.
Webster's New World
Origin of Plastic
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Latin plasticus from Greek plastikos from plastos molded from plassein to mold pelə-2 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Latin plasticus (“of molding"), from Ancient Greek πλαστικός (plastikos), from πλάσσειν (plassein).
From Wiktionary
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Greek plastikos fit for molding plastic
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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