plasticity

noun

plas·​tic·​i·​ty pla-ˈsti-sə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being plastic

especially : capacity for being molded or altered

2

: the ability to retain a shape attained by pressure deformation

3

: the capacity of organisms with the same genotype to vary in developmental pattern, in phenotype, or in behavior according to varying environmental conditions

4

: the capacity for continuous alteration of the neural pathways and synapses of the living brain and nervous system in response to experience or injury

Synonyms

• malleability

Examples of plasticity in a Sentence

we chose that type of clay for its greater plasticity

Recent Examples on the Web

Hippocampal plasticity underpins long-term cognitive gains from resistance exercise in MCI Sports Medicine. —Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024

Again, vinegar’s acetic acid could be the benefactor; acetate plays a role in improving brain inflammation, plasticity, and overall cognition. —Matt Fuchs, TIME, 16 Oct. 2024

But now researchers at Weill Cornell Medical have developed an analytical tool that enables scientists to quantify the plasticity of a cell (aka how much it’s changed) and determine what mechanisms in the cell the cancer is hijacking for that plasticity. —Alex Knapp, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

Sleep also assists with the regulation of neurotransmitter levels, metabolism, brain plasticity and the cleaning of toxic waste proteins from the brain. —Kristen Rogers, CNN, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

plasticity

noun

plas·​tic·​i·​ty pla-ˈstis-ət-ē 

: the quality or state of being plastic

especially : capacity for being molded or changed in form or shape

Medical Definition

plasticity

noun

plas·​tic·​i·​ty pla-ˈstis-ət-ē 

plural plasticities

1

: the quality or state of being plastic

especially : capacity for being molded or altered

2

: the ability to retain a shape attained by pressure deformation

3

: the capacity of organisms with the same genotype to vary in developmental pattern, in phenotype, or in behavior according to varying environmental conditions

4

: the capacity for continuous alteration of the neural pathways and synapses of the living brain and nervous system in response to experience or injury that involves the formation of new pathways and synapses and the elimination or modification of existing ones