Meaning & use
thermoplastic
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
A type of plastic that becomes soft when heated and hardens again when cooled, so it can be melted and reshaped many times.
Grammar: Countable: a thermoplastic, two thermoplastics. Often used as a mass noun in general statements: Thermoplastic is recyclable.
Patterns
- a thermoplastic
- make something from thermoplastic
- recycle thermoplastics
Bottles and food containers are often made from a thermoplastic that can be melted down and reused.
Unlike a thermoset, a thermoplastic can be heated and reshaped again and again without burning.
The factory collects old thermoplastics and turns them into new parts.
adjectivebefore a nountechnical
Made of or relating to a plastic that softens when heated and hardens on cooling, and can be reshaped repeatedly.
Grammar: Used before a noun: thermoplastic material, thermoplastic resin. Not usually used after a verb.
Patterns
- thermoplastic material
- thermoplastic resin
- thermoplastic polymer
The handles are made of a thermoplastic material that can be molded into complex shapes.
This thermoplastic resin is easy to recycle because it melts at a relatively low temperature.
Engineers chose a thermoplastic polymer for the casing because it can be reshaped if the design changes.
Word forms
| plural | thermoplastics |
|---|
Common combinations
- thermoplastic material
- The toy is made from a lightweight thermoplastic material.
- thermoplastic resin
- The company imports thermoplastic resin to produce packaging.
- melt a thermoplastic
- You can melt a thermoplastic and pour it into a mold.
- recycle thermoplastics
- Many cities now recycle thermoplastics along with paper and glass.
Synonyms and how they differ
- plastic
- Plastic is the everyday word for any synthetic material; thermoplastic is the technical term for the kind that can be remelted.
- polymer
- Polymer is a broader scientific term for long-chain molecules, including plastics and natural materials; thermoplastic is a specific type of polymer.
Opposites
Word family
- thermoplasticity noun
- The quality of being able to soften when heated and harden when cooled.
- thermoset noun
- A plastic that hardens permanently when heated and cannot be remelted.
Commonly confused: thermoplastic or thermoset?
thermoplastic vs thermoset
A thermoset plastic cannot be remelted or reshaped after it hardens, while a thermoplastic can be heated and reshaped many times.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'thermoplastic' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A thermoplastic is defined by its ability to soften on heating and harden on cooling, allowing repeated reshaping. Option A reverses the properties of thermoplastic and thermoset; option C describes a thermos; option D describes thermoregulation.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “thermoplastic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.