elasticity
gb/ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti/ us/ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
property
1
ability to stretch and return
how well something can stretch and go back to its shape
Usage pattern:
the elasticity of [material/object]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse elasticity with electricity (different meaning and pronunciation).
Synonyms
stretchiness (More informal and physical.)
|
springiness (Emphasizes bouncing back.)
Antonyms
rigidity (Lack of ability to bend or stretch.)
|
brittleness (Tends to break rather than bend.)
Collocations
high elasticity
|low elasticity
|natural elasticity
|elasticity of rubber
|elasticity of fabric
|test the elasticity
|lose elasticity
|retain elasticity
|improve elasticity
|measure elasticity
Themes
materials
|daily_life
|science
Examples
- Spandex is added to jeans to give them more elasticity.
- Over time, the waistband can lose its elasticity and start to sag.
- The lab measured the elasticity of the polymer under heat.
Learner examples
- This fabric has good elasticity.
- The rubber band shows elasticity.
Noun
C1
property
2
flexibility in plans or rules
the ability to change easily when needed
Usage pattern:
elasticity in [plan/system/rules/schedule]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse flexibility where elasticity sounds more formal/abstract.
Synonyms
flexibility (The most common everyday synonym.)
|
adaptability (Focuses on adjusting successfully to new conditions.)
Antonyms
inflexibility (Unwilling or unable to change.)
|
strictness (Emphasizes tight rules and limited freedom.)
Collocations
some elasticity
|greater elasticity
|limited elasticity
|elasticity in scheduling
|elasticity in the system
|allow elasticity
|need elasticity
|build in elasticity
|policy elasticity
|administrative elasticity
Themes
work
|education
|planning
Examples
- The company built some elasticity into the project timeline in case of delays.
- Good managers leave a little elasticity in the rules for unusual situations.
- Remote work gives families more elasticity in their daily schedules.
Learner examples
- We need more elasticity in our plan.
Noun
C1
property
3
ability to recover quickly
the ability to feel okay again after problems
Usage pattern:
elasticity of [mind/spirit/people/communities]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse this figurative meaning with the physical meaning about stretching.
Synonyms
resilience (More common and direct for people and emotions.)
|
toughness (Less about recovering, more about enduring.)
Antonyms
fragility (Easily harmed and slow to recover.)
|
vulnerability (Easily affected by stress or harm.)
Collocations
emotional elasticity
|mental elasticity
|psychological elasticity
|show elasticity
|remarkable elasticity
|elasticity in the face of stress
|elasticity under pressure
|community elasticity
|human elasticity
Themes
emotions
|health
|psychology
Examples
- Her elasticity after the setback impressed everyone on the team.
- Communities often show great elasticity after natural disasters.
- The training is designed to improve mental elasticity under pressure.
Learner examples
- He showed elasticity after a hard year.
Noun
technical
C2
quantity
4
economic responsiveness measure
in economics, how strongly something changes when something else changes
Usage pattern:
elasticity of [demand/supply] (with respect to [price/income])
Common mistake:
Often used with of (elasticity of demand), not elasticity for demand.
Synonyms
responsiveness (General word; not a formal economic measure.)
|
sensitivity (Emphasizes reaction to change; less technical than elasticity.)
Antonyms
inelasticity (Little or no responsiveness to change.)
Collocations
price elasticity
|income elasticity
|cross-price elasticity
|elasticity of demand
|elasticity of supply
|high elasticity
|low elasticity
|estimate elasticity
|calculate elasticity
|elasticity coefficient
Themes
economics
|business
Examples
- The report estimates the elasticity of demand for air travel.
- Staple foods tend to have low price elasticity.
- Economists debated the elasticity of labor supply in the new model.
Learner examples
- We studied elasticity of demand in class.
Grammar
Dictionary form
elasticity
IPA
GB/ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti/
US/ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti/
Syllables & stress
elasti - city (2 syllables)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: elasticity
- Plural: elasticities, elasticity
Word family
Expressions
cross-price elasticity of demand
1/kɹˈɔs pɹˈaɪs ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti əv dɪmˈænd/
fixed phrase
technical
demand response to another price
how demand for one thing changes when another price changes
Examples
- The cross-price elasticity of demand between tea and coffee was positive, suggesting they are substitutes.
- Researchers estimated the cross-price elasticity of demand to see how riders switch between services.
- A negative cross-price elasticity of demand can indicate complementary products.
elasticity of demand
1/ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti əv dɪmˈænd/
fixed phrase
technical
demand response to price changes
how much demand changes when price changes
Examples
- The elasticity of demand for gasoline is relatively low in the short term.
- They calculated the elasticity of demand for streaming subscriptions.
- A high elasticity of demand means buyers react strongly to price changes.
elasticity of supply
1/ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti əv səplˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
technical
supply response to price changes
how much supply changes when price changes
Examples
- In agriculture, the elasticity of supply can be low during a single growing season.
- The study compares the elasticity of supply across different industries.
- High elasticity of supply means producers can increase output quickly when prices rise.
income elasticity of demand
1/ˈɪŋkˌʌm ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti əv dɪmˈænd/
fixed phrase
technical
demand response to income changes
how demand changes when income changes
Examples
- Luxury goods typically have a high income elasticity of demand.
- They used survey data to estimate the income elasticity of demand for dining out.
- A negative income elasticity of demand can indicate an inferior good.
price elasticity of demand
1/pɹˈaɪs ˌilˌæstˈɪsəti əv dɪmˈænd/
fixed phrase
technical
demand response to price changes
how much demand changes when the price changes
Examples
- The price elasticity of demand was estimated using last year’s sales data.
- Discount retailers often rely on products with high price elasticity of demand.
- If the price elasticity of demand is low, raising prices may not reduce sales much.