microplastic
Americannoun
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a tiny particle of plastic, especially one five millimeters or smaller, formed from the breakdown of plastic waste, shed from synthetic textiles, or intentionally added to various products.
Microplastics are a problem because marine life mistakes the floating particles for food.
-
these tiny particles of plastic taken collectively.
Microplastic is still used in some cosmetics and personal care products.
Etymology
Origin of microplastic
First recorded in 1955–60; micro- ( def. ) + plastic ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Our pilot study provides important evidence that microplastic exposure may be a risk factor for prostate cancer," said study lead author Stacy Loeb, MD, a professor in the NYU Grossman School of Medicine's Departments of Urology and Population Health.
From Science Daily
According to Loeb, this is the first Western study to measure microplastic levels in prostate tumors and compare them directly with levels in noncancerous prostate tissue.
From Science Daily
They then used specialized instruments to measure the quantity, chemical composition, and structure of microplastic particles.
From Science Daily
All testing was performed in controlled clean rooms designed specifically for microplastic analysis.
From Science Daily
Out of 40 larvae analyzed, researchers identified two microplastic fragments.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
