1
: a medicated or protective dressing that consists of a film (as of cloth or plastic) spread with a usually medicated substance
adhesive plaster
broadly : something applied to heal and soothe
2
: a pasty composition (as of lime, water, and sand) that hardens on drying and is used for coating walls, ceilings, and partitions

plaster

2 of 2

verb

transitive verb

1
: to overlay or cover with plaster : coat
2
: to apply a plaster to
3
a
: to cover over or conceal as if with a coat of plaster
b
: to apply as a coating or incrustation
c
: to smooth down with a sticky or shiny substance
plastered his hair down
4
: to fasten or apply tightly to another surface
5
: to treat with plaster of paris
6
: to affix to or place on especially conspicuously or in quantity
7
: to inflict heavy damage or loss on especially by a concentrated or unremitting attack

intransitive verb

: to apply plaster

Examples of plaster in a Sentence

Noun put a plaster on the burn and don't touch it Verb We plastered and sanded the walls before painting them.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Public and private wings on either side contain around 3,800 square feet of two-level living space, all of it decked out with polished concrete floors, cotton-white plaster walls, concealed Italian infinity doors, warm Alaskan yellow cedar accents, and vast expanses of glass. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 2 Aug. 2025 Inside, the vibe exudes calm, with seafoam-toned booths, gleaming Greek marble, Venetian plaster walls, custom chandeliers, olive tree accents, and striking ancient urns that nod to the restaurant’s heritage. Taryn White, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Verb
An installation at his show recreated the album cover with the title plastered on the front. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 19 July 2025 Panic set in instantly, and the family launched a frantic citywide search, plastering flyers everywhere and flooding social media with pleas for help. Ashley Vega, People.com, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for plaster

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin emplastrum, from Greek emplastron, from emplassein to plaster on, from en- + plassein to mold, plaster; perhaps akin to Latin planus level, flat — more at floor

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plaster was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaster. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

plaster

1 of 2 noun
1
: a medicated or protective dressing consisting of a film (as of cloth or plastic) spread with a substance that clings to the skin
adhesive plaster
2
: a paste (as of lime, water, and sand) that hardens on drying and is used for coating walls and ceilings

plaster

2 of 2 verb
1
: to apply a plaster to
2
: to cover over as if with a coat of plaster
3
: to smooth down with a sticky or shiny substance
plastered my hair down
4
: to fasten or apply tightly to another surface
wet clothes plastered to his body
5
: to affix to or place on especially in large numbers
plaster posters to a wall
6
: to apply plaster

Medical Definition

: a medicated or protective dressing that consists of a film (as of cloth or plastic) spread with a usually medicated substance
adhesive plaster

More from Merriam-Webster on plaster

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