thermoplastic

adjective

ther·​mo·​plas·​tic ˌthər-mə-ˈpla-stik 

: capable of softening or fusing when heated and of hardening again when cooled

thermoplastic synthetic resins

compare thermosetting

thermoplastic noun

thermoplasticity

ˌthər-mə-ˌpla-ˈsti-sə-tē 

noun

Examples of thermoplastic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

They were developed from CT scans of his skull using PEEK, a lightweight thermoplastic material. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

It’s made of an easy-to-clean thermoplastic polyurethane that is also water-resistant for those games that get rained out. — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026

Jude Webbing also offers an optional thermoplastic polyurethane coating to prevent water absorption. — Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 6 July 2026

This model features a quality Zeiss continuous lens set into the lightweight TR90 thermoplastic frame that contains all the smart features controlled by a variety of sensors along the arms. — New Atlas, 24 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thermoplastic

• anaplastic
• bioclastic
• fibroblastic
• hyperplastic
• hypoplastic
• inelastic
• lymphoblastic
• neoplastic
• orgiastic
• periphrastic
• predynastic
• pyroclastic

Kids Definition

thermoplastic

adjective

ther·​mo·​plas·​tic ˌthər-mə-ˈplas-tik 

: capable of softening or melting when heated and of hardening again when cooled

thermoplastic synthetic fibers

Medical Definition

thermoplastic

1 of 2 adjective

ther·​mo·​plas·​tic ˌthər-mə-ˈplas-tik 

: capable of softening or fusing when heated and of hardening again when cooled

thermoplastic synthetic resins

thermoplasticity

-ˌplas-ˈtis-ət-ē 

noun

plural thermoplasticities

thermoplastic

2 of 2 noun

: a thermoplastic material