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plastic

Primary Information
Secondary Information

Definition

Plastic is a material that is made from a type of material called polymers. Polymers are made up of many small molecules that are linked together.

Plastic is a very versatile material. It can be used to make many different things, such as bottles, bags, toys, and even cars.

Plastic is also very strong and durable. It can withstand a lot of wear and tear.

However, plastic is also a very harmful material to the environment. It can take hundreds of years to decompose, and it can pollute our oceans and waterways.

How can the word be used?

The toy company made a new line of action figures out of recycled plastic.

plastic

Different forms of the word

Noun:

  • plastic (a material that can be moulded or shaped into different forms).
  • plastics (plural of plastic).
  • plasticiser (a substance added to plastic to make it more flexible).
  • plastic surgery (surgery that uses plastic to repair or reconstruct parts of the body).

Adjective:

  • plastic (of or relating to plastic).
  • plasticine (a type of modelling clay).
  • plastic surgery (of or relating to plastic surgery).

Etymology

The word "plastic" comes from the Greek word "plastikos", which means "to mold or shape".

The word "plastic" was first used in English in the 17th century. It was used to refer to a type of clay that could be molded or shaped.

The root of the word "plastic" is the Greek word "plassein", which means "to mold or shape".

So, the word "plastic" literally means "something that can be molded or shaped". This is a reference to the fact that plastics are materials that can be molded or shaped into different forms.

Question

What things around you are made of plastic?