thermoplastic

thermoplastic — adjective

1. describing a substance, especially a plastic, that becomes soft and easy to shap

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing a substance, especially a plastic, that becomes soft and easy to shape when heated, and becomes hard again after it cools down

Example

Many parts in Christopher's bicycle are made of thermoplastic materials that can be recycled.

thermoplastic + noun (materials / parts)

The factory uses a thermoplastic glue that melts when heated and hardens as it cools.

Common collocations
  • thermoplastic material
  • thermoplastic polymer
  • thermoplastic resin
  • thermoplastic filament
Antonyms
  • thermosetting

    describes materials that harden permanently after one heating and cannot be reshaped

Usage Note

Frequently used attributively before nouns such as material, polymer, resin, or filament. Contrasts with thermosetting, which describes materials that set permanently after one heating.

Common Mistakes

Thermoplastic materials can only be shaped once.
Thermoplastic materials can be reshaped many times after reheating.
Thermoplastics soften each time they are heated again, unlike thermosets which harden permanently.

thermoplastic — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Plastic is the broadest everyday term for synthetic materials that can be molded; it includes both thermoplastics and thermosets. Polymer is an even broader scientific term for any long-chain molecule, including natural ones like cellulose. The key distinction is that thermoplastics (noun/1) soften when heated and can be reshaped repeatedly, while thermosets (or thermosetting plastics) harden permanently after one heating and cannot be remelted. For example: 'Most water bottles are made from a thermoplastic called PET,' but 'the handle of a frying pan is often made of a thermoset that withstands high heat without softening.'

plastic ↗polymer ↗thermoset

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • thermoplastic vs thermosetting
  • thermoplastic material

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Formed from two Greek roots: thermo- meaning 'heat' (from thermē) and plastic from plastikos meaning 'capable of being molded or shaped.' The word entered English in the early 20th century as scientists developed synthetic polymers that could be repeatedly softened and reshaped with heat, unlike traditional thermosetting materials.