plastiskt

Plastiskt is a Swedish adjective describing properties related to plastic, or the ability to be shaped and permanently deformed. It is used to characterize materials that can undergo plastic deformation, meaning their shape can be changed and remain altered after the applied force is removed. In practice, a plastiskt material can be molded, bent or pressed into new forms, in contrast to elastic materials that return to their original shape.

In materials science and engineering, plastisk deformation occurs when stress exceeds a material’s yield strength. The term is also used in geology to describe rocks that deform plastically at high temperatures and pressures, allowing flow or creeping rather than fracturing.

In the arts, plastisk relates to the plastic arts, which include sculpture and other three-dimensional forms. The word can describe the quality of form, modeling, and the ability to shape material into a desired three-dimensional result. Phrases such as plastisk form or plastisk modellering appear in discussions of sculptural technique and craft.

Metaphorically, plastiskt can describe something flexible or adaptable, such as plans or systems that can be readily modified to suit changing circumstances. The root of plastiskt is the Greek plastikos meaning able to be molded, via Latin plasticus and French plastique, with long-standing use in Swedish to express both physical and figurative plasticity.

Note that plastik, a related term, is used in Swedish for plastic surgery, whereas plastiskt specifically refers to the property of plasticity or the ability to be molded.