plasma

American  

[plaz-muh] / ˈplæz mə /

Also plasm

noun

1. Anatomy, Physiology. the liquid part of blood or lymph, as distinguished from the suspended elements.

2. Cell Biology. cytoplasm.

3. whey.

4. a green, faintly translucent chalcedony.

5. Physics. a highly ionized gas containing an approximately equal number of positive ions and electrons.

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plasma British  

/ ˈplæzmə, plæzˈmætɪk /

noun

1. the clear yellowish fluid portion of blood or lymph in which the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are suspended

2. short for blood plasma

3. a former name for protoplasm cytoplasm

4. physics

   1. a hot ionized material consisting of nuclei and electrons. It is sometimes regarded as a fourth state of matter and is the material present in the sun, most stars, and fusion reactors

   2. the ionized gas in an electric discharge or spark, containing positive ions and electrons and a small number of negative ions together with un-ionized material

5. a green slightly translucent variety of chalcedony, used as a gemstone

6. a less common term for whey

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plasma Scientific  

/ plăz′mə /

1. See blood plasma

2. Protoplasm or cytoplasm.

3. One of four main states of matter, similar to a gas, but consisting of positively charged ions with most or all of their detached electrons moving freely about. Plasmas are produced by very high temperatures, as in the Sun and other stars, and also by the ionization resulting from exposure to an electric current, as in a fluorescent light bulb or a neon sign.

4. See more at state of matter

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plasma ¹ Cultural  

1. The liquid part of blood or lymph. Blood plasma is mainly water; it also contains gas es, nutrients, and hormones. The red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are all suspended in the plasma of the blood.

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plasma ² Cultural  

1. A state of matter in which some or all of the electrons have been torn from their parent atoms. The negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions move independently.

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Discover More

Plasmas are usually associated with very high temperatures — most of the sun is a plasma, for example.

Other Word Forms

• plasmatic adjective
• plasmic adjective

Etymology

Origin of plasma

First recorded in 1705–15; from Late Latin, from Greek plásma “formed, molded (thing),” akin to plássein “to form, mold”; plastic

Explanation

Plasma is the colorless liquid part of blood. Plasma holds blood cells but is not made from them. Plasma, a crucial part of blood, can be donated for use in medical procedures, either from plasma donation or as part of a regular blood donation. Another meaning of plasma is in physical chemistry — a state of matter (in fact the most common state of matter) made from a gas that has lost its electrons from heat. This is where those big-screen plasma televisions get their name from.

Example Sentences

"Astronauts lose about 15% of their circulating plasma volume, which means when they come back, their blood pressure can drop and they might need additional fluids," she says.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

This structure shows that magnetized plasma is being dragged through the cluster, leaving behind a diffuse trail that has persisted for millions of years.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

Surrounding it is a larger region of older, fading plasma left behind by earlier eruptions.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

The day of Scott’s stem cell treatment, a nurse first extracted 80 cc of his blood, which was spun down to produce platelet-rich plasma; after that, red blood cells were removed, leaving concentrated plasma proteins.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Two of the dropcops climbed into the back with us, stowing their plasma welders in a locker.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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