a. [ L. plasticus, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to form, mold: cf. F. plastique. ]
See plastic Nature working to his end. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]
Medallions . . . fraught with the plastic beauty and grace of the palmy days of Italian art. J. S. Harford. [ 1913 Webster ]
[ 1913 Webster ]
Plastic clay (Geol.),
Plastic element (Physiol.),
Plastic exudation (Med.),
Plastic foods. (Physiol.)
Plastic force. (Physiol.)
Plastic operation,
Plastic surgery,
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 ] [ PJC ]
a. See Plastic. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
adv. In a plastic manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Cf. F. plasticité. ]
‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, creator + &unr_; animal. ] (Zool.) Same as Protoza. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Dim. fr. Plastid. ] (Biol.) One of the small particles or organic molecules of protoplasm. Haeckel. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Gr. &unr_; to form, mold. ] (Biol.) A substance associated with nuclein in cell nuclei, and by some considered as the fundamental substance of the nucleus. [ 1913 Webster ]