Meanings
comparative more elastic · superlative most elastic · alternative obsolete elastick
- Capable of stretching; particularly, capable of stretching so as to return to an original shape or size when force is released.
The rope is somewhat elastic, so expect it to give when you pull on it.
1 more example
In trumpets for assisting the hearing, all reverbation of the trumpet must be avoided. It must be made thick, of the least elastic materials, and covered with cloth externally. For all reverbation lasts for a short time, and produces new sounds which mix with those which are coming in.
1820, Encyclopaedia Britannica; Or A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, 6th edition, volume 20, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Company, page 501 - Made of elastic.
elastic band
- Of clothing, elasticated.
- economicsSensitive to changes in price.
Demand for entertainment is more elastic than demand for energy.
- springy; bouncy; vivacious
He could see that she was tastefully, though not richly, dressed, and that she walked with an elastic step that revealed a light heart and the vigor of perfect health. Her face, of course, he could not analyze, since he had caught only the one brief but convincing glimpse of it.
1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars - Pervasive, all-encompassing.
It was now about six o'clock, and that first freshness was on the air, which is to the day what youth is to life,—so light, so elastic, so sweet, and so brief:...
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter X, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 74 - Able to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials.
elastic spirits; an elastic constitution
plural elastics · alternative obsolete elastick
- uncountableAn elastic material used in clothing, particularly in waistbands and cuffs.
running shorts use elastic to eliminate the need for a belt
- CanadacountableAn elastic band.
- NortheasternUScountableuncountableSpecifically, a hair tie.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivecapable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy
nouna narrow band of elastic rubber used to hold things (such as papers) together
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁elh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁l̥h₂-tós
- Ancient Greekἐλᾰστός (elăstós)
- New Latinelasticu
- Frenchélastique
- Englishelastic
From French élastique, from New Latin elasticus (“elastic”), from Ancient Greek ἐλαστός (elastós), alternative form of ἐλατός (elatós, “ductile”) (cf. ἐλατήρ (elatḗr, “a driver, hurler”)), from ἐλαύνω (elaúnō, “to drive, set in motion, push, strike, beat out”).
More words from French, New Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مَرِن
- مَرِن (marin)capable of stretching
Bulgarian еластичен, ластичен
- еластичен (elastičen)capable of stretching
- ластичен (lastičen)made of elastic
- ластик (lastik)material
Catalan elàstic, elàstic
- elàsticcapable of stretching
- elàsticsensitive to changes in price
Chinese Mandarin 彈性的 /弹性的, 有彈力的 /有弹力的
- 彈性的 /弹性的 (tánxìng de)capable of stretching
- 有彈力的 /有弹力的 (yǒu tánlì de)capable of stretching
Czech pružný, elastický
- pružnýcapable of stretching
- elastickýcapable of stretching
Danish elastisk, smidig
- elastiskcapable of stretching
- smidigcapable of stretching
Dutch elastieken
- elastiekenmade of elastic
Finnish joustava, kimmoisa
- joustavacapable of stretching
- kimmoisacapable of stretching
- elastinenmade of elastic
- joustokangasmaterial
French élastique, élastique
- élastiquecapable of stretching
- élastiquemade of elastic
- élastiquesensitive to changes in price
- élastiquematerial
German dehnbar, elastisch
- dehnbarcapable of stretching
- elastischcapable of stretching
- Gummibandmaterial
Hawaiian laholio
- laholiomaterial
Hungarian rugalmas, elasztikus
- rugalmascapable of stretching
- elasztikuscapable of stretching
- ruganyoscapable of stretching
- ruganyosspringy; bouncy; vivacious
- rugalmasable to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials
Indonesian elastis
- elastiscapable of stretching
Irish leaisteach, leaisteach
- leaisteachcapable of stretching
- leaisteachmade of elastic
Italian elastico, elastica
- elasticocapable of stretching
- elasticacapable of stretching
Japanese エラスティック, 伸縮性の
- エラスティック (erasutikku)capable of stretching
- 伸縮性の (shinshukusei no)capable of stretching
- 弾性の (dansei no)capable of stretching
- 弾力のある (danryoku no aru)capable of stretching
Latin elasticus
- elasticuscapable of stretching
Malay kenyal, anyal
- kenyalcapable of stretching
- anyalcapable of stretching
- elastikcapable of stretching
Māori rāhiteke
- rāhitekematerial
Norwegian elastisk, strekkbar
- elastiskcapable of stretching
- strekkbarcapable of stretching
- priselastisksensitive to changes in price
Norwegian Bokmål elastikk
- elastikkmaterial
Persian الاستیک, ارتجاعی
- الاستیکcapable of stretching
- ارتجاعیcapable of stretching
- کشسانcapable of stretching
Polish elastyczny, rozciągliwy
- elastycznycapable of stretching
- rozciągliwycapable of stretching
- ciągliwycapable of stretching
- elastycznyspringy; bouncy; vivacious
- sprężystyspringy; bouncy; vivacious
Portuguese elástico, elástico
- elásticocapable of stretching
- elásticomade of elastic
- elásticomaterial
Romanian elastic
- elasticcapable of stretching
Russian эласти́чный, ги́бкий
- эласти́чный (elastíčnyj)capable of stretching
- ги́бкий (gíbkij)capable of stretching
- рези́нка (rezínka)material
Scottish Gaelic lastaig, lastaig
- lastaigcapable of stretching
- lastaigmade of elastic
- lastaigmaterial
Slovak pružný, elastický
- pružnýcapable of stretching
- elastickýcapable of stretching
Spanish elástico, elástico
- elásticocapable of stretching
- elásticomaterial
Swedish töjbar, tänjbar
- töjbarcapable of stretching
- tänjbarcapable of stretching
- elastiskcapable of stretching
- resårmaterial
Tagalog igkasin, manaynay
- igkasincapable of stretching
- manaynaycapable of stretching
- igkasinsensitive to changes in price
Thai ยืดหยุ่น
- ยืดหยุ่น (yʉ̂ʉt-yùn)capable of stretching
Turkish elastik
- elastikcapable of stretching
Ukrainian еласти́чний
- еласти́чний (elastýčnyj)capable of stretching
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with elastic
Anagrams
Cite this entry
elastic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elastic
“elastic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elastic. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “elastic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elastic.
Source: elastic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.