microplastic
Americannoun
-
a tiny particle of plastic, especially one five millimeters or smaller, formed from the breakdown of plastic waste, shed from synthetic textiles, or intentionally added to various products.
Microplastics are a problem because marine life mistakes the floating particles for food.
-
these tiny particles of plastic taken collectively.
Microplastic is still used in some cosmetics and personal care products.
Etymology
Origin of microplastic
First recorded in 1955–60; micro- ( def. ) + plastic ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So what can you do to reduce your microplastic exposure?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
At least one product on the market estimates the number and size of microplastic particles you carry, using an at-home blood and saliva test.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
The work helps build a picture of microplastic pollution levels along the Thames and how they may change over time.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
Compared with water use, microplastic emissions contributed a much smaller share of overall ecosystem damage.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
While the amount of microplastic released by an individual sponge may seem small, the totals become much larger when scaled up.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
