plasticity

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Hellenic *plátʰyō Proto-Hellenic *pláťťō? Ancient Greek πλάσσω (plássō) Proto-Indo-European *-tis Ancient Greek -τις (-tis) Ancient Greek -σῐς (-sĭs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Hellenic *-tós Ancient Greek -τος (-tos) ▲ Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) ? Ancient Greek -τικός (-tikós) Ancient Greek πλᾰστῐκός (plăstĭkós)der. Latin plasticusder. English plastic Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English plasticity From plastic + -ity.

1. The quality or state of being plastic.

   “In place of a stinger, a male bee or wasp has hardened genitalia […] used for grasping the female during mating and transferring sperm. Male genitalia are a showcase of structural plasticity.”

2. The property of a solid body whereby it undergoes a permanent change in shape or size when subjected to a stress exceeding a particular value (the yield value).