cytoplasm

American  

[sahy-tuh-plaz-uhm] / ˈsaɪ təˌplæz əm /

noun

Cell Biology.

1. the cell substance between the cell membrane and the nucleus, containing the cytosol, organelles, cytoskeleton, and various particles.

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cytoplasm British  

/ ˈsaɪtəʊˌplæzəm /

noun

1. the protoplasm of a cell contained within the cell membrane but excluding the nucleus: contains organelles, vesicles, and other inclusions

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cytoplasm Scientific  

/ sī′tə-plăz′əm /

1. The jellylike material that makes up much of a cell inside the cell membrane, and, in eukaryotic cells, surrounds the nucleus. The organelles of eukaryotic cells, such as mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum, and (in green plants) chloroplasts, are contained in the cytoplasm. The cytoplasm and the nucleus make up the cell's protoplasm.

2. See more at cell

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cytoplasm Cultural  

1. The material within a biological cell that is not contained in the nucleus or other organelles.

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Other Word Forms

• cytoplasmic adjective
• cytoplasmically adverb

Etymology

Origin of cytoplasm

First recorded in 1870–75; cyto- + -plasm

Compare meaning

How does cytoplasm compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cytosol vs. cytoplasm
• protoplasm vs. cytoplasm

Example Sentences

During M-phase, however, the cytoplasm becomes more fluid, allowing the band to move inward between the two emerging cells.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

After DNA separation, large microtubule structures called asters expand throughout the cytoplasm.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

Because microtubules can influence how stiff the cytoplasm is, the researchers asked whether asters might help anchor the actin band by stiffening the cell interior.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

Rather than destroying its host, the virus may have established a stable presence in the cytoplasm.

From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026

Then, there are oval organelles, embedded in the surface close to the point of attachment of the spirochetes, and other similar bodies drifting through the cytoplasm with the particles of still undigested wood.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas