THERMOPLASTIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does thermoplastic mean? 

• THERMOPLASTIC (noun)
  The noun THERMOPLASTIC has 1 sense:

1. a material that softens when heated and hardens again when cooled

  Familiarity information: THERMOPLASTIC used as a noun is very rare.

• THERMOPLASTIC (adjective)
  The adjective THERMOPLASTIC has 1 sense:

1. having the property of softening or fusing when heated and of hardening and becoming rigid again when cooled

  Familiarity information: THERMOPLASTIC used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• THERMOPLASTIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A material that softens when heated and hardens again when cooled

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

thermoplastic; thermoplastic resin

Hypernyms ("thermoplastic" is a kind of...):

plastic (generic name for certain synthetic or semisynthetic materials that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or filaments or used for making e.g. coatings and adhesives)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "thermoplastic"):

saran (any of various thermoplastic resins used to make things)

celluloid (highly flammable substance made from cellulose nitrate and camphor; used in e.g. motion-picture and X-ray film; its use has decreased with the development of nonflammable thermoplastics)

Derivation:

thermoplastic (having the property of softening or fusing when heated and of hardening and becoming rigid again when cooled)

• THERMOPLASTIC (adjective)

Comparative: thermoplasticer   
Superlative: thermoplasticest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having the property of softening or fusing when heated and of hardening and becoming rigid again when cooled

Context example:

thermoplastic materials can be remelted and cooled time after time without undergoing any appreciable chemical change

Antonym:

thermosetting (having the property of becoming permanently hard and rigid when heated or cured)

Derivation:

thermoplastic (a material that softens when heated and hardens again when cooled)

 Context examples 

Various high-molecular-weight thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers that are capable of being molded, extruded, drawn, or otherwise shaped and then hardened into a form.

(Plastic, NCI Thesaurus)

The term refers particularly, to thermoplastic and thermosetting resins, poly-siloxanes, polymers associated with restorative materials; ionic polymers, silicones, polymethylmethacrylate, BIS-GMA, reinforced polymers, composites, metals, cements, dental porcelains, etc.

(Dental Material, NIH CRISP Thesaurus)