plasticizer

P3L1A1S1T1I1C3I1Z10E1R1
UK/ˈplæs.tɪ.saɪ.zə/

noun

Any of various substances added to a material (such as plastic or concrete) in order to make it more pliable.

Similar
plasticiser
OriginEnglish plasticize ← Latin plasticus ← Ancient Greek πλᾰστῐκός (plăstĭkós) →
UncommonScrabble 24
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Meanings

nounplasticizer (plural plasticizers)

plural plasticizers

  1. Any of various substances added to a material (such as plastic or concrete) in order to make it more pliable.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna substance added to plastics or other materials to make them more pliable

Similar
plasticiser
Broader
softener
Also see
plastifier

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Hellenic*plátʰyō
  2. Proto-Hellenic*plát͏̌t͏̌ō?
  3. Ancient Greekπλάσσω (plássō)
  4. Ancient Greekπλᾰστῐκός (plăstĭkós)
  5. Latinplasticus
  6. Englishplastic
  7. Englishplasticize
  8. Englishplasticizer

From plasticize + -er.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 塑化劑 /塑化剂, 增塑劑 /增塑剂
  • 塑化劑 /塑化剂 (sùhuàjì)substance added for pliability in plastics
  • 增塑劑 /增塑剂 (zēngsùjì)substance added for pliability in plastics
  • 可塑劑 /可塑剂 (kěsùjì)substance added for pliability in plastics
Dutch weekmaker
  • weekmakersubstance added for pliability in plastics
Finnish pehmitin
  • pehmitinsubstance added for pliability in plastics
German Weichmacher
  • Weichmachersubstance added for pliability in plastics
Hungarian lágyító, lágyítószer
  • lágyítósubstance added for pliability in plastics
  • lágyítószersubstance added for pliability in plastics
Icelandic mýkiefni
  • mýkiefnisubstance added for pliability in plastics
Irish plaisteachán
  • plaisteachánsubstance added for pliability in plastics
Japanese 可塑剤
  • 可塑剤 (kasose)substance added for pliability in plastics
Korean 가소제
  • 가소제 (gasoje)substance added for pliability in plastics
Polish plastifikator, zmiękczacz
  • plastifikatorsubstance added for pliability in plastics
  • zmiękczaczsubstance added for pliability in plastics
Portuguese plastificante
  • plastificantesubstance added for pliability in plastics
Russian пластифика́тор
  • пластифика́тор (plastifikátor)substance added for pliability in plastics
Spanish plastificador
  • plastificadorsubstance added for pliability in plastics
Turkish akışkanlaştırıcı
  • akışkanlaştırıcısubstance added for pliability in plastics
Cite this entry
APA

plasticizer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plasticizer

MLA

“plasticizer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plasticizer. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “plasticizer,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plasticizer.

Source: plasticizer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.