Lexic.us

Definition of Plastic

1. Noun. Generic name for certain synthetic or semisynthetic materials that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or filaments or used for making e.g. coatings and adhesives.

2. Adjective. Capable of being molded or modeled (especially of earth or clay or other soft material). "Plastic substances such as wax or clay"

3. Noun. A card (usually plastic) that assures a seller that the person using it has a satisfactory credit rating and that the issuer will see to it that the seller receives payment for the merchandise delivered. "Do you take plastic?"

4. Adjective. Capable of being influenced or formed. "A pliant nature"

5. Adjective. Forming or capable of forming or molding or fashioning. "A formative experience"

Definition of Plastic

1. a. Having the power to give form or fashion to a mass of matter; as, the plastic hand of the Creator.

Definition of Plastic

1. Noun. (obsolete) A sculptor, moulder. ¹

2. Noun. (archaic) Any solid but malleable substance. ¹

3. Noun. A synthetic, thermoplastic, solid, hydrocarbon-based polymer. ¹

4. Noun. Any similar synthetic material, not necessarily thermoplastic. ¹

5. Noun. (colloquial) credit or debit cards used in place of cash to buy goods and services. ¹

6. Noun. (slang) Fakeness, or a person who is fake or arrogant, or believes that they are better than the rest of the population. ¹

7. Adjective. Capable of being moulded; malleable, flexible, pliant. (defdate from 17th c.) ¹

8. Adjective. (context: medicine now rare) Producing tissue. (defdate from 17th c.) ¹

9. Adjective. (dated) Creative, formative. (defdate from 17th c.) ¹

10. Adjective. (biology) Capable of adapting to varying conditions; characterized by environmental adaptability. (defdate from 19th c.) ¹

11. Adjective. Of or pertaining to the inelastic, non-brittle, deformation of a material. (defdate from 19th c.) ¹

12. Adjective. Made of plastic. (defdate from 20th c.) ¹

13. Adjective. Inferior or not the real thing; ersatz. (defdate from 20th c.) ¹

14. Adjective. (slang) Fake, snobbish. Usually refers to a person. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Plastic

1. any of a group of synthetic or natural moldable materials [n -S]

Medical Definition of Plastic

1. 1. Having the power to give form or fashion to a mass of matter; as, the plastic hand of the Creator. "See plastic Nature working to his end." (Pope) 2. Capable of being molded, formed, or modeled, as clay or plaster; used also figuratively; as, the plastic mind of a child. 3. Pertaining or appropriate to, or characteristic of, molding or modeling; produced by, or appearing as if produced by, molding or modeling; said of sculpture and the kindred arts, in distinction from painting and the graphic arts. "Medallions . . . Fraught with the plastic beauty and grace of the palmy days of Italian art." (J. S. Harford) Plastic clay See Force. Plastic operation, an operation in plastic surgery. Plastic surgery, that branch of surgery which is concerned with the repair or restoration of lost, injured, or deformed parts of the body. Origin: L. Plasticus, Gr, fr. To form, mold: cf. F. Plastique. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Plastic

plastered plasterer plasterer's float plasterers plastering plastering trowel plasterings plasterless plasterlike plasterly

plasters plasterwork plasterworks plastery plastibase plastic (current term) plastic anatomy plastic art plastic arts plastic bag

plastic bags plastic beauty plastic bomb plastic bronchitis plastic cheese plastic corpuscle plastic cyclitis plastic deformation plastic embedding plastic explosive

Literary usage of Plastic

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Handbook of Severe Disability: A Text for Rehabilitation Counselors, Other edited by Walter C. Stolov, Michael R. Clowers (2000)
"The earliest writings in plastic surgery (around 800 BC) recorded the rebuilding of noses ... Modern plastic surgery had its birth during World War I, ..."

2. Technical Digest edited by G. W. Day, D. L. Franzen, P. A. Williams (1999)
"Thus, plastic fibers offer the potential for inexpensive and robust ... Also, graded-index multimode plastic fibers with non-ideal index profiles have ..."

3. Medical lexicon by Robley Dunglison (1860)
"That which forms, or serves to form. plastic ELEMENT. One which bears within it the germs of a higher form. — Gerber. plastic or ..."

4. Science by American Association for the Advancement of Science (1895)
"rhe Industrial Chemist, November, 1949 Superseal plastic METALLIC PACKING ... A fluid plastic is the ideal form, but is liable to extrude under pressure, ..."

5. Outlines of the History of Art by Wilhelm Lübke (1904)
"Greek plastic Art. A. SUBJECT AND FORM. The imagination of the Greeks delighted ... The very character of their temple architecture was thoroughly plastic; ..."

6. Handbook of Severe Disability: A Text for Rehabilitation Counselors, Other edited by Walter C. Stolov, Michael R. Clowers (2000)
"The earliest writings in plastic surgery (around 800 BC) recorded the rebuilding of noses ... Modern plastic surgery had its birth during World War I, ..."

7. Technical Digest edited by G. W. Day, D. L. Franzen, P. A. Williams (1999)
"Thus, plastic fibers offer the potential for inexpensive and robust ... Also, graded-index multimode plastic fibers with non-ideal index profiles have ..."

8. Medical lexicon by Robley Dunglison (1860)
"That which forms, or serves to form. plastic ELEMENT. One which bears within it the germs of a higher form. — Gerber. plastic or ..."

9. Science by American Association for the Advancement of Science (1895)
"rhe Industrial Chemist, November, 1949 Superseal plastic METALLIC PACKING ... A fluid plastic is the ideal form, but is liable to extrude under pressure, ..."

10. Outlines of the History of Art by Wilhelm Lübke (1904)
"Greek plastic Art. A. SUBJECT AND FORM. The imagination of the Greeks delighted ... The very character of their temple architecture was thoroughly plastic; ..."

Other Resources: