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plastination

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noun plas·ti·na·tion \ ˌpla-stə-ˈnā-shən \

Definition of plastination

:a technique for the preservation of biological tissue that involves replacing water and fat in tissue with a polymer (such as silicone or polyester) to produce a dry durable specimen for anatomical study

Recent Examples of plastination from the Web

Although his work might seem strange today, consider Bodyworlds and other modern exhibits that use plastination to preserve slices of human cadavers for the entertainment (and edification?) of the general public.

— kat eschner, Smithsonian, "This 17th-Century Anatomist Made Art Out of Bodies," 28 Mar. 2017
Daniel Engber (@danengber) wrote about the inventor of body plastination in issue 21.02.

— daniel engber, WIRED, "Meet the Man Behind the Awesome Sets of The Dark Knight, The Prestige, and Interstellar," 18 Nov. 2014

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plastination.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of plastination

International Scientific Vocabulary plastic + -ination (as in calcination)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1981

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