Plaster
/ˈplæs.tər/noun
A soft, spreadable material used to coat walls or cover wounds.
Did you know?English plaster ultimately comes from Greek and Latin words meaning a coating or spread-on application, and the same root also gave us the idea of a 'plaster' as a medicinal dressing for binding and covering wounds.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plat-
“to spread, flatten”
Ancient Greek
Greek
plássein (πλάσσειν)
“to mold, shape, or spread”
Late Latin
Latin
plastrum / emplastrum
“a plaster, dressing, or coating”
Old French
Old French
plastre
“plaster, especially for walls or wounds”
Middle English
English
plaster
“a coating material for walls or a medicinal dressing”
Modern English
English
plaster
“a material used to coat surfaces or cover wounds”
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