plasticine

Everyday

A soft, coloured modelling material like clay that never dries out, used by children to make shapes and models. tree →

In the lessons

In school and art: modelling animals, letters and shapes; in maths, making 3D shapes and cutting them; in science, plasticine boats test floating and sinking (the same lump sinks as a ball but floats as a boat shape). Phrases: «a lump/ball of plasticine», «plasticine model».

Examples

• We made dinosaurs out of plasticine. tree →
• Roll the plasticine into a long snake. tree →
• A ball of plasticine sinks, but a boat shape floats. tree →
• Don't mix all the plasticine colours together! tree →
• The animated film was made with plasticine models. tree →
• Squash the plasticine to make a cube. tree →

Note

Plasticine is a brand name, so it is often written with a capital P. Uncountable: «some plasticine», «a lump of plasticine». Similar products: Play-Doh (dries out), modelling clay. In the USA people say «modeling clay» more often.