noun
plaster
PLAH-stuh
noun
1
A mixture of lime or gypsum, sand, and water that hardens into a smooth surface, used to coat walls and ceilings.
"The builders applied a fresh coat of plaster to the living room walls."
2
An adhesive strip used to cover a small cut or wound.
"She put a plaster on the scrape on her knee."
verb
1
To cover a wall or surface with plaster.
"They plastered the ceiling before painting it."
2
To cover something thickly or completely, often figuratively.
"Posters were plastered across every wall of the venue."
How to Use Plaster
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA wall coating material, or (in British English) a small sticky bandage.
UK vs US
In British English, "plaster" is the everyday word for a small adhesive bandage; American English typically says "Band-Aid" or "bandage" instead.
Common pairings
plaster wall
sticking plaster
plaster cast
plaster the wall
Word Forms
plastered past tense, plasters plural, plasters singular
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The builders applied a fresh coat of _____ to the living room walls.
Etymology
From Latin emplastrum, "a medicinal plaster or bandage," shortened over time on its way through Old English and Old French.