thermoplastic

[ thur-muh-plas-tik ]

adjective
  1. soft and pliable when heated, as some plastics, without any change of the inherent properties.

noun
  1. a plastic of this type.

Origin of thermoplastic

1
First recorded in 1880–85; thermo- + plastic

Other words from thermoplastic

  • ther·mo·plas·tic·i·ty [thur-moh-pla-stis-i-tee], /ˌθɜr moʊ plæˈstɪs ɪ ti/, noun
  • non·ther·mo·plas·tic, adjective, noun

Words Nearby thermoplastic

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How to use thermoplastic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for thermoplastic

thermoplastic

/ (ˌθɜːməʊˈplæstɪk) /


adjective
  1. (of a material, esp a synthetic plastic or resin) becoming soft when heated and rehardening on cooling without appreciable change of properties: Compare thermosetting

noun
  1. a synthetic plastic or resin, such as polystyrene, with these properties

Derived forms of thermoplastic

  • thermoplasticity (ˌθɜːməʊplæˈstɪsɪtɪ), noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for thermoplastic

thermoplastic

[ thûr′mə-plăstĭk ]


  1. Of or relating to a compound that can be repeatedly made soft and hard through heating and cooling. Polyethylene and polystyrene are thermoplastic resins. Compare thermosetting.

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