plastic

¹ American  

[plas-tik] / ˈplæs tɪk /

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.

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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 American  

1. a combining form occurring in chloroplastic; protoplastic.

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plastic ¹ British  

/ 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

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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 ² British  

combining form

1. growing or forming

   neoplastic

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plastic Scientific  

/ plăs′tĭk /

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 thermosetting

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

Usage

What does -plastic mean? The combining form -plastic is used like a suffix meaning “of or relating to a living substance, cell, or organelle." An organelle is "a cell organ." The form -plastic can also mean "of or relating to growth, cellular multiplication." The form -plastic is very occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology. The form -plastic comes from Greek plastikós, meaning “that may be molded.” Find out how plastós is related to plasma and plaster at our entry for each word. What are variants of -plastic?The form -plastic does not have any variants. However, it is related to the forms -plasm, -plasia, -plasy, -plast, and -plasty. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for these forms.

Other Word Forms

• nonplastic adjective
• plastically adverb
• plasticly adverb
• unplastic adjective

Etymology

Origin of plastic¹

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

Origin of -plastic²

plastic

Explanation

Plastic is a synthetic material that can be molded when soft and formed into a solid shape. Many toys are made out of plastic, like Barbie dolls and Lego blocks. Plastic appears in many different forms, from beach balls to lawn chairs, grocery bags and much more. Credit cards, which are made of plastic, are called plastic, meaning payment that's not cash. You can also use plastic as an adjective to describe things that can be molded, like clay that's plastic in your hands, or to describe something that's artificial. For example, if a person is called plastic, he or she is probably fake or insincere.

Example Sentences

The toilet—known as the Universal Waste Management System—caused a few problems during the journey, prompting the crew to use plastic containers to store their liquid waste.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

After the show, we grabbed a few minutes with the 71-year-old rock star, who wore a beaded vest and tight silver-and-black trousers and sipped from a red plastic cup.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Rising fuel prices and higher oil and natural gas costs are making shipping and materials like plastic pipes and asphalt more expensive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

The astronauts have instead used an alternative system which involves collapsible plastic containers that collect their urine.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

Below the pin was a smaller name tag, this one Sharpie on plastic: Joyce, she/her.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• elastic
• molded