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

It also underscores the importance of precisely timed changes in the material properties of the cytoplasm in controlling cellular processes.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

When the cell enters the next interphase and the asters reform, the cytoplasm stiffens again and stabilizes the band.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

Over a barely digested lunch, the three scientists realized that this intermediate molecule had to shuttle from the cell’s nucleus, where genes were stored, to the cytoplasm, where proteins were synthesized.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee