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

Example Sentences

Either electrical current from divertors or from microwaves ionizes the gas, igniting an electrically charged plasma ring.

From The Wall Street Journal

While gravitational lensing is well known in studies of black holes, Medvedev says this is the first observed case where both gravity and plasma work together to shape a signal detected from space.

From Science Daily

Officials from unions representing TSA workers said in recent weeks, workers have sold plasma, delivered groceries and signed up to drive for ride-hailing services to make ends meet.

From The Wall Street Journal

Their analysis revealed that the dimming comes from large clouds of relatively cool plasma trapped within the star's magnetosphere.

From Science Daily

“Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• beef
• fat
• meat
• muscle