elastic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ɪˈlæstɪk/
- /ə-/ (US, also)
- /ɪˈlɑːstɪk/ (UK, rare)
- (US) audio
- /i-/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁elh₂- Proto-Indo-European *h₁l̥h₂-tósder. Ancient Greek ἐλᾰστός (elăstós) Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus New Latin elasticusbor. French élastiquebor. English elastic From French élastique, from New Latin elasticus (“elastic”), from Ancient Greek ἐλαστός (elastós), alternative form of ἐλατός (elatós, “ductile”) (cf. ἐλατήρ (elatḗr, “a driver, hurler”)), from ἐλαύνω (elaúnō, “to drive, set in motion, push, strike, beat out”).
Meanings
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Capable of stretching; particularly, capable of stretching so as to return to an original shape or size when force is released.
The rope is somewhat elastic, so expect it to give when you pull on it.
In trumpets for assisting the hearing, all reverbation of the trumpet must be avoided. It must be made thick, of the least elastic materials, and covered with cloth externally. For all reverbation lasts for a short time, and produces new sounds which mix with those which are coming in.
1820, Encyclopaedia Britannica; Or A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, 6th edition, volume 20, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Company, page 501:
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Made of elastic.
elastic band
- Of clothing, elasticated.
-
Sensitive to changes in price.
Demand for entertainment is more elastic than demand for energy.
-
springy; bouncy; vivacious
He could see that she was tastefully, though not richly, dressed, and that she walked with an elastic step that revealed a light heart and the vigor of perfect health. Her face, of course, he could not analyze, since he had caught only the one brief but convincing glimpse of it.
1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars:
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Pervasive, all-encompassing.
It was now about six o'clock, and that first freshness was on the air, which is to the day what youth is to life,—so light, so elastic, so sweet, and so brief:...
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter X, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 74:
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Able to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials.
elastic spirits; an elastic constitution
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| elastick | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| more elastic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most elastic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
anelastic · nonelastic · inelastic
Deriveds
cytoelastic · thermoelastic · aero-servo-elastic · musculoelastic · semielastic · aero-servo-hydro-elastic · elastin · elastance · pseudoelastic · elasto- · elastic-sided · myoelastic · elastomer · visco-elastic-plastic · photoelastic · monoelastic · superelastic · hyperelastic · aeroelastic · aero-hydro-servo-elastic · hydroelastic · silicoelastic · magnetoelastic · elasticise · fibroelastic · microelastic · piezoelastic · elasticated · porohyperelastic · hypoelastic · elasticate · elastic deformation · elastration · mechanoelastic · income-elastic · elasticize · elastic-sides · acoustoelastic · elastic sides · viscoelastic · fluid-elastic · elastic recovery · elastic collision · poroviscoelastic · elasticization · thermo-electro-magneto-elastic · quasielastic · elastane · elastosis · piezomagnetoelastic · elastic energy · morphoelastic · musculo-elastic · thermoviscoelastic · elasticin · elastically · elastic limit · elastic fiber · elasticness · elastic band · poroelastic · magnetelastic · magneto-electro-thermo-elastic · elasticity · isoelastic · elasticky · perfectly elastic supply · ferroelastic · magneto-thermo-electro-elastic · unelastic
Descendants
Synonyms
stretchy · resilient · stretchable
Translations (78)
ja 弾性の (capable of stretching) · id elastis (capable of stretching) · cmn 彈性的 /弹性的 (capable of stretching) · ms anyal (capable of stretching) · gv so-lhoobey (capable of stretching) · fa کشسان (capable of stretching) · pt elástico (capable of stretching) · pl rozciągliwy (capable of stretching) · ja 弾力のある (capable of stretching) · th ยืดหยุ่น (capable of stretching) · sl prožen (capable of stretching) · no priselastisk (sensitive to changes in price) · ms kenyal (capable of stretching) · cs pružný (capable of stretching) · fr élastique (made of elastic) · gd lastaig (made of elastic) · hy առաձգական (sensitive to changes in price) · ru эласти́чный (capable of stretching) · da elastisk (capable of stretching) · nrf êlastique (made of elastic) · fa ارتجاعی (capable of stretching) · fa الاستیک (capable of stretching) · bg еластичен (capable of stretching) · cmn 有彈力的 /有弹力的 (capable of stretching) · bg ластичен (made of elastic) · pl ciągliwy (capable of stretching) · da smidig (capable of stretching) · ca elàstic (capable of stretching) · no strekkbar (capable of stretching) · ms elastik (capable of stretching) · pt elástico (made of elastic) · pl elastyczny (capable of stretching) · ja エラスティック (capable of stretching) · fi kimmoisa (capable of stretching) · nrf êlastique (capable of stretching) · hy առաձգական (capable of stretching) · hu rugalmas (capable of stretching) · sk pružný (capable of stretching) · de dehnbar (capable of stretching) · fr élastique (capable of stretching) · no elastisk (capable of stretching) · fr élastique (sensitive to changes in price) · de elastisch (capable of stretching) · ja 伸縮性の (capable of stretching) · sv elastisk (capable of stretching) · ar مَرِن (capable of stretching) · xal эйлдг (capable of stretching) · hu rugalmas (able to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials) · es elástico (capable of stretching) · it elastico (capable of stretching) · hu ruganyos (springy; bouncy; vivacious) · ru ги́бкий (capable of stretching) · cs elastický (capable of stretching) · fi joustava (capable of stretching) · nrf êlastique (sensitive to changes in price) · unm shishipe (capable of stretching) · ga leaisteach (capable of stretching) · sv töjbar (capable of stretching) · ro elastic (capable of stretching) · nl elastieken (made of elastic) · it elastica (capable of stretching) · uk еласти́чний (capable of stretching) · tr elastik (capable of stretching) · tl manaynay (capable of stretching) · sv tänjbar (capable of stretching) · hu ruganyos (capable of stretching) · pl elastyczny (springy; bouncy; vivacious) · sk elastický (capable of stretching) · tk çeýe (capable of stretching) · tl igkasin (sensitive to changes in price) · ga leaisteach (made of elastic) · la elasticus (capable of stretching) · pl sprężysty (springy; bouncy; vivacious) · fi elastinen (made of elastic) · gd lastaig (capable of stretching) · hu elasztikus (capable of stretching) · tl igkasin (capable of stretching) · ca elàstic (sensitive to changes in price)