plasticity
noun
plas·tic·i·ty
| \ pla-ˈsti-sə-tē
\
\
Definition of plasticity
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
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Examples of plasticity in a Sentence
we chose that type of clay for its greater plasticity
Recent Examples on the Web
Scientists have long recognized that this plasticity is stronger in the brains of young people than those of older people. — chicagotribune.com, "Marijuana makes your brain more plasticky, and that’s a good thing," 22 Aug. 2019 Through their own research, the Ilinetskys found a physical-therapy program called NeuroMovement, which purports to cultivate brain plasticity. — Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, "The Perverse Logic of GoFundMe Health Care," 24 June 2019 Others maintain that plasticity acts to slow down evolution. — Starre Vartan, National Geographic, "Meet the shape-shifting baby amphibians that become cannibals," 26 June 2019 Moseley and his colleagues believe, however, that thanks to the inherent plasticity of our neural networks, a brain that becomes oversensitized can, over time, relearn normal sensitivity. — Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, Discover Magazine, "These Researchers Think We Can Retrain Our Brains to Tame Chronic Pain," 30 May 2019 The answer to this matters, especially given recent findings about neural plasticity within the brain. — David P. Barash, WSJ, "‘Becoming Human’ Review: The Defining Neediness of Humans," 11 Jan. 2019 In the central nervous system, plasticity is related to time. — Rachel Becker, The Verge, "Spinal implants help treat paralysis but aren’t ready for primetime," 3 Nov. 2018 Children are in the processes of physical, emotional and behavioral development and can be expected to have more plasticity or flexibility in their functioning. — Andrea K. Mcdaniels, baltimoresun.com, "Treat pain in children differently than adults," 3 May 2018 Nevertheless, this is a provocative study that links early experience with the genetic structure of neurons, and that highlights the remarkable plasticity and adaptability of the brain. — Robert Martone, Scientific American, "Early Life Experience: It’s in Your DNA," 10 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plasticity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for plasticity
plasticity
noun
English Language Learners Definition of plasticity
technical
: the quality of being able to be made into different shapes
See the full definition for plasticity in the English Language Learners Dictionary
plasticity
noun
plas·tic·i·ty
| \ pla-ˈstis-ət-ē
\
\
plural plasticities
Medical Definition of plasticity
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
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