Plasticity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈplæs.tɪs.ɪ.ti/

Definitions

1. The ability of something to be molded, shaped, or adapted to different forms or conditions
2. The property that allows a material or organism to change form or adapt to new conditions while maintaining functionality under various influences or stimuli
3. The capacity of a material or biological system to undergo permanent deformation without breaking, enabling adaptation to changing conditions or environments

Etymology: The Greek verb "plassein" meant to mould or form something from soft material, such as clay or wax, and it gave rise to "plastikos," meaning fit for moulding. Latin borrowed this as "plasticus," and English took "plastic" from it, but the noun "plasticity" is a later English creation. It was built by adding the suffix "-ity," which turns an adjective into a noun of quality, onto "plastic." The result describes the quality of being plastic, or capable of being shaped. The suffix has a longer ancestry of its own. It descends through Latin "-itas" and Old French "-ite" before arriving in Middle English as "-ite," and it became the familiar English "-ity." Its job has stayed the same across all those centuries: it names a state or quality. So "plasticity" is a word whose meaning was fixed by a simple grammatical step applied to a Greek idea of shaping clay.

Synonyms: malleability, flexibility, adaptability

Antonyms: rigidity, inflexibility