plastic

/ˈplæstɪk/

//ˈplæstɪk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"plastic" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“plastic” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,960 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,960
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A synthetic, solid, hydrocarbon-based polymer, whether thermoplastic or thermosetting.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

plastic vs plaster
71% similar
plastic vs plasmid
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for plastic
PropertyValue
Headwordplastic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈplæstɪk/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,960
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “plastic” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). plastic lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for plastic is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈplæstɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,960 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for plastic, with forms such as "lpastic", "palstic", and "plasitc". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "plaster", "plasmid", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin plasticus (“of molding”), from Ancient Greek πλαστικός (plastikós), from πλάσσω (plássō, “to mold, form”). Doublet of plastique. The correct English form is plastic, spelled P-L-A-S-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    A synthetic, solid, hydrocarbon-based polymer, whether thermoplastic or thermosetting.
  2. 2
    Credit or debit cards used in place of cash to buy goods and services.
  3. 3
    Insincerity; fakeness; a person who is fake or arrogant, or believes that they are better than the rest of the population; a narcissistic, affected person.
  4. 4
    An instance of plastic surgery.
  5. 5
    A sculptor, moulder.
  6. 6
    Any solid but malleable substance.
  7. 7
    Synonym of Plastic Paddy.

Etymology

From Latin plasticus (“of molding”), from Ancient Greek πλαστικός (plastikós), from πλάσσω (plássō, “to mold, form”). Doublet of plastique.

This word in other languages

plástico(Español)plastique(Français)Kunststoff(Deutsch)plástico(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lpastic,palstic,plasitc,plasstic,plastci,plasticc,plasttic,platsic,pllastic,plsatic,pplastic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of plastic - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

lpastic2palstic2plasitc2plasstic1plastci2plasticc1plasttic1platsic2
Edit distance from "plastic"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "plastic"?
"plastic" is spelled P-L-A-S-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈplæstɪk/.
What does "plastic" mean?
As a noun, "plastic" means: A synthetic, solid, hydrocarbon-based polymer, whether thermoplastic or thermosetting.
What words are commonly confused with "plastic"?
"plastic" is commonly confused with "plaster", "plasmid". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "plastic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "plastic" is /ˈplæstɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "plastic"?
From Latin plasticus (“of molding”), from Ancient Greek πλαστικός (plastikós), from πλάσσω (plássō, “to mold, form”). Doublet of plastique. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “plastic”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-L-A-S-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈplæstɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “plaster” - see the side-by-side comparison. plastic vs plaster
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list