plastic
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Latin plasticus (“‘of molding’”), from Ancient Greek πλαστικός (plastikos), from πλάσσειν (plassein).
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
plastic (uncountable)
- (obsolete) A sculptor, moulder.
- (archaic) Any solid but malleable substance.
- A synthetic, thermoplastic, hydrocarbon-based polymer, solid material.
- Any similar synthetic material, not necessarily thermoplastic.
- (colloquial) credit or debit cards used in place of cash to buy goods and services.
[edit] Translations
a stiff but usually slightly flexible synthetic material
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any similar synthetic material
credit cards or debit cards
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[edit] Adjective
plastic (comparative more plastic, superlative most plastic)
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Positive |
Comparative |
Superlative |
- Capable of being moulded; malleable, flexible, pliant.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 103:
- the rage [...] betook itself at last to certain missile weapons; which, though from their plastic nature they threatened neither the loss of life or of limb, were, however, sufficiently dreadful to a well-dressed lady.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 103:
- Of or pertaining to the inelastic, non-brittle, deformation of a material.
- (dated) Creative, formative.
- (biology) Capable of adapting to varying conditions; characterized by environmental adaptability.
- (medicine, now rare) Producing tissue.
- Constructed of polymer.
- Inferior or not the real thing; ersatz.
- 1966, Calvin C. Hernton, White papers for white Americans, page 67:
- He kissed the white woman once, and it was so artificial, so plastic (that's the word, plastic) that one wondered why did they did it at all.
- 1969, Lowell D. Streiker, The gospel of irreligious religion, page 83:
- The Hippie has been replaced by the pseudo-Hippie, the plastic Hippie, the weekend Hippie
- 1973, Eric Berne, What do you say after you say hello?, page 120:
- In fact it seems as though there are two kinds of people in the world: real people and plastic people, as the Flower Children used to say.
- 2006, Catherine Coulter, Born to Be Wild, page 71:
- But I don't think she would be happy in Los Angeles — it's so plastic and cheap and they expect the women to be whores to get anywhere.
- 2007, Daniel Sinker, We owe you nothing: Punk Planet: the collected interviews, page 238:
- People always try to say that we're garage rock, but that scene is so plastic. Some dude in a band has tight jeans, dyed black hair, and a starving girlfriend with bangs, and people call it indie rock. It's so gross.
- 2008, Matt James Mason, The pirate's dilemma: how youth culture is reinventing capitalism
- Frustrated by a globalized music industry force-feeding them plastic pop music, hackers, remixers, and activists began to mobilize...
- 1966, Calvin C. Hernton, White papers for white Americans, page 67:
[edit] Synonyms
- The synonyms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the word above. Each synonym should appear in each sense for which it is appropriate. Use the template {{sense|"gloss"}}, substituting a short version of the definition.
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
Of or pertaining to the inelastic, non-brittle, deformation of a material
Capable of adapting to varying conditions
Constructed of plastic
[edit] French
[edit] Etymology
From English plastic
[edit] Noun
plastic m. (plural plastics)
