plasticizing
|plas-tic-iz-ing|
/ˈplæs.tɪ.saɪz/
(plasticize)
make flexible / make moldable
Etymology
'plasticize' is formed in English from the adjective 'plastic' + the verb-forming suffix '-ize'. 'Plastic' ultimately comes from Greek 'plastikos' (πλαστικός), meaning 'fit for molding' or 'capable of being shaped'.
'Plastic' entered English via French/Latin forms from Greek 'plastikos' (πλαστικός). The verb-forming suffix '-ize' (from Greek/Latin via French) was attached in modern English to create 'plasticize' (late 19th to early 20th century), and 'plasticizing' is the present-participle/gerund form used for the action or process.
Originally related to 'molding' or 'shaping' (from Greek sense), the modern verb 'plasticize' has come to mean specifically 'to make flexible or to add a plasticizer', especially in polymer and materials contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or result of plasticizing — the act of making a material (especially a polymer) more plastic or flexible, or the state resulting from that process.
The plasticizing of the polymer lowered its glass transition temperature and improved processability.
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Verb 1
present participle of 'plasticize' — performing the action of making something more plastic, flexible, or moldable (often by adding a plasticizer).
They are plasticizing the PVC to improve its flexibility for molding.
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Last updated: 2025/11/14 18:53