plasticizer
noun
plas·ti·ciz·er
| \ ˈpla-stə-ˌsī-zər
\
\
Definition of plasticizer
: one that plasticizes
specifically
: a chemical added especially to rubbers and resins to impart flexibility, workability, or stretchability
Examples of plasticizer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In order to make plastics softer, more flexible, and more transparent, they are often mixed with plasticizers, particularly for food packaging, says Ramani Narayan, a chemical engineer at Michigan State University. — Sarah Gibbens, National Geographic, "The sticky problem of plastic wrap," 12 July 2019 Plastics are held together with chemicals called plasticizers, and experts have expressed great concern about two: bisphenol-A (known as BPA) and phthalates. — Tabor Wordelman, Teen Vogue, "These Are the Ways Plastics Can Mess Up Your Body," 19 Dec. 2018 These common plasticizers, used some nail polishes to increase flexibility and in some shampoos and cleansers to carry fragrance, are controversial because of a possible link to disruption of the human endocrine system. — Allure, "The Skin-Care Glossary: A Comprehensive Guide to Everything You Need to Know," 17 Aug. 2018 The organisms had high levels of persistent organic pollutants, like PCBs and PBDE’s, chemicals used in industrial manufacturing as plasticizers, coolants and flame retardants. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Even the Deepest Parts of the Ocean Are Polluted With Startling Amounts of Plastic," 11 May 2018 So the combination of plasticizers and dirty bath water creates almost a buffet for the bacteria to enjoy. — Doug Criss, CNN, "The inside of rubber duckies are full of bacteria. You don't seem surprised," 29 Mar. 2018 Many are leaving out plasticizers, phthalates, formaldehyde, chlorine, halogen and heavy metals. — Clare Miers, star-telegram, "Wallpaper is back! Here, local design experts talk the trends and share their picks | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 15 Mar. 2018 Independent research on beads collected from New Orleans parades has found toxic levels of lead, bromine, arsenic, phthalate plasticizers, halogens, cadmium, chromium, mercury and chlorine on and inside the beads. — David Redmon, Smithsonian, "The Toxic Truth Behind Mardi Gras Beads," 8 Mar. 2017 They were produced from the 1920s to the 1970s and used in a range of industrial applications, including as pigments in paint and dyes, plasticizers in plastics and rubber, and components in electrical equipment. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "U.K. Killer Whale Contained Staggering Levels of Toxic Chemical," 4 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plasticizer.' 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 plasticizer
plasticizer
noun
plas·ti·ciz·er
variants:
or British plasticiser \ ˈplas-tə-ˌsī-zər
\
\
Medical Definition of plasticizer
: a chemical added especially to rubbers and resins to impart flexibility, workability, or stretchability