Nurdle

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tiny plastic pellet used as raw material in manufacturing plastics ; a small dab of toothpaste applied to a toothbrush
2. A minute plastic bead serving as a starting form for plastic products ; a little blob of toothpaste put onto a toothbrush before brushing
3. A small plastic piece employed in plastic production ; a small amount of toothpaste squeezed onto a brush

Etymology: In the plastics industry, a nurdle is a pre-production pellet, typically a few millimetres across, that serves as the raw material from which manufacturers make bottles, bags and other plastic goods. Because the pellets are shipped in bulk, spills are common, and the word moved out of trade jargon and into environmental reporting about plastic litter on beaches and waterways. Linguist Mark Liberman's 2020 Language Log post traced how the term was used, though its exact origin remains unsettled. The name's journey from loading docks to shorelines is the clearest part of its story.

Synonyms: microplastic pellet, plastic pellet