1. (a.) Having the power to give form or fashion to a mass of matter; as, the plastic hand of the Creator.
2. (a.) Capable of being molded, formed, or modeled, as clay or plaster; -- used also figuratively; as, the plastic mind of a child.
3. (a.) 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.
4. (n.) a substance composed predominantly of a synthetic organic high polymer capable of being cast or molded; many varieties of plastic are used to produce articles of commerce (after 1900). [MW10 gives origin of word as 1905]
5. (n.) A combining form signifying developing, forming, growing; as, heteroplastic, monoplastic, polyplastic.
Thesaurus Entries
Bakelite, Buna, Celluloid, Formica, Lucite, Mylar, PVC, Perspex, Plexiglas, Styrofoam, Teflon, able to adapt, acaroid resins, accessible, accordant, acetate, acetate nitrate, acquiescent, acrylic, adaptable, adaptive, adhesive, adjustable, alkyd, alterable, alterative, amber, amenable, aminoplast, anal, apt, artificial, average, bendable, bending, biddable, bogus, bourgeois, bright, casein plastic, cast plastic, cellophane, cellulose acetate, cellulose ether, cellulose nitrate, cellulose plastic, cellulosic, changeable, cheap, checkered, chintzy, clayey, clever, colophony, common, commonplace, complaisant, compliant, compulsive, concordant, conformable, conformist, conventional, corresponding, coumarone resins, coumarone-indene, counterfeit, crummy, docile, ductile, educable, elastic, epoxy, ersatz, ever-changing, extensible, extensile, extruded plastic, fabricable, facile, fake, fictile, flexible, flexile, flexuous, fluid, fluorocarbon plastic, formable, formal, formalistic, formational, formative, fossil resins, furane, garden, garden-variety, giving, gum rosin, gums, harmonious, imitation, impermanent, impressible, impressionable, in accord, in keeping, in line, in step, inexperienced, influenceable, instructable, intelligent, kaleidoscopic, kosher, lac resins, laminate, lignin, like putty, limber, lissome, lithe, lithesome, lot, malleable, manageable, many-sided, melamine, meretricious, metabolic, metamorphic, middle-class, mobile, modifiable, moldable, molded plastic, molding compounds, morphotic, motivated, movable, multiresin, mutable, neoprene, nitrate, no great shakes, nonuniform, normal, nylon, obedient, open, open-minded, ordinary, orthodox, other-directed, parcel, paste, pedantic, permutable, persuadable, persuasible, pervious, phenolic urea, pinchbeck, pine resins, plasmatic, plasmic, plat, pliable, pliant, plot, polyester, polymer, polymeric amide, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, precisianistic, protean, proteiform, protein plastic, protoplasmic, quick, ready, receptive, regular, resilient, resin, resin plastic, resina, resinate, resinoid, responsive, ripe for instruction, rosin, rubbery, run-of-mine, run-of-the-mill, schoolable, sensitive, sequacious, sham, shapable, shapeable, shoddy, silicone resin, soft, springy, square, straight, stuffy, suasible, submissive, suburban, suggestible, supple, susceptible, swayable, synthetic, synthetic fabric, synthetic resin, synthetic rubber, teachable, tetrafluoroethylene, thermoplastic, thermosetting plastic, thirsty for knowledge, tract, tractable, tractile, traditionalist, trainable, transient, transitory, unexceptional, unformed, unnoteworthy, unremarkable, unspectacular, uptight, urea, urea formaldehyde, usual, variable, vegetable resins, vinyl, waxy, weak, whippy, willing, willowy, workable, yielding
