Overview
EN ISO 472:2013 - Plastics - Vocabulary (ISO 472:2013) is the international/CEN-adopted vocabulary that defines terms used across the plastics industry and in polymer science. Published as the fourth edition in 2013 and endorsed by CEN as EN ISO 472:2013, this standard consolidates terminology used in ISO/TC 61 plastics standards and provides a consistent, multilingual reference (English and French as official ISO languages, with German equivalents added by DIN).
Key topics and technical content
- Scope and purpose: formal definitions of terms and synonyms used in plastics technology, testing, processing, materials and polymer science to ensure consistent interpretation across standards and technical documents.
- Language and format: each entry includes a unique term ID, the term, a definition and any applicable notes. In English entries the word class (noun/verb/adjective) is indicated where needed. Synonyms and deprecated terms are explicitly marked.
- Terminology rules followed: IUPAC practice is applied for source-based polymer names (use of parentheses when “poly” is followed by more than one word), and common industry names (e.g., “polyethylene”) are used where appropriate.
- Examples of entries: abrasion testing terms (abrasive wear, abrasive wheel), polymers and rubbers (ABS plastic, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber), processing (extruder head, thermoforming variants), adhesives/adhesion terms (adhesive coat, adhesion promoter), testing and measurement (apparent density, annealing), antioxidants and additives.
- Access and reproduction: terms and definitions are available for browsing on ISO’s Online Browsing Platform (OBP). Reproduction of terms/definitions for educational or implementation purposes is permitted under specified conditions.
Practical applications
- Creates a single authoritative glossary for use in standards development, technical specifications, test methods, and regulatory texts.
- Improves clarity in procurement documents, material data sheets and product specifications by standardizing names and definitions.
- Supports laboratories and QA/QC teams by removing ambiguity in test method descriptions and reporting.
- Aids translators and technical communicators working between English, French and German versions of plastics standards.
- Useful in education and R&D when consistent polymer and processing terminology is required.
Who should use this standard
- Standards developers (ISO/CEN/TC participants)
- Materials and process engineers in plastics and polymer industries
- Quality, testing and certification laboratories
- Technical writers, translators and educators
- Procurement/specification authors and regulatory compliance teams
Related standards
- Other ISO/TC 61 plastics standards and test methods (use ISO 472 as the vocabulary backbone).
Keywords: EN ISO 472:2013, ISO 472, plastics vocabulary, plastics terminology, polymer terminology, plastics standards, plastics glossary.
