/ ˈplæstɪk; NAmE / noun , adjective
■ noun
1.
[ U , C , usually pl. ] a light strong material that is produced by chemical processes and can be formed into shapes when heated. There are many different types of plastic, used to make different objects and fabrics :
The pipes should be made of plastic .
a sheet of clear plastic
the plastic industry
2.
plastics [ U ] the science of making plastics
3.
[ U ] ( informal ) a way of talking about credit cards :
Do they take plastic?
■ adjective
1.
made of plastic :
a plastic bag / cup / toy
2.
( of a material or substance ) easily formed into different shapes
SYN malleable :
Clay is a plastic substance.
3.
( disapproving ) that seems artificial; false; not real or sincere
SYN false :
TV game show hosts with their banal remarks and plastic smiles
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent. (in the sense characteristic of moulding ): from French plastique or Latin plasticus , from Greek plastikos , from plassein to mould.