definitions

protoplasm

[ proh-tuh-plaz-uh m ]
/ ˈproʊ təˌplæz əm /
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noun

Biology. (no longer in technical use) the colloidal and liquid substance of which cells are formed, excluding horny, chitinous, and other structural material; the cytoplasm and nucleus.
Obsolete. the living matter of organisms regarded as the physical basis of life, having the ability to sense and conduct stimuli.

RELATED WORDS

thing, material, element, frame, carcass, torso, beef, muscle, meat, fat, body, individual, phenomenon, being, sum, object, entity, amount, stuff, quantity

Nearby words

protopectin, protophilic, protophloem, protoplanet, protoplanetary disk, protoplasm, protoplasmic astrocyte, protoplast, protopodite, protopope, protoporphyria

Origin of protoplasm

From the New Latin word prōtoplasma, dating back to 1840–50. See proto-, -plasm

Related forms

pro·to·plas·mic, pro·to·plas·mal, pro·to·plas·mat·ic [proh-toh-plaz-mat-ik] /ˌproʊ toʊ plæzˈmæt ɪk/, adjectivein·ter·pro·to·plas·mic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for protoplasm

British Dictionary definitions for protoplasm

protoplasm

/ (ˈprəʊtəˌplæzəm) /

noun

biology the living contents of a cell, differentiated into cytoplasm and nucleoplasm

Derived Forms

protoplasmic, adjective

Word Origin for protoplasm

C19: from New Latin, from proto- + Greek plasma form
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for protoplasm

protoplasm

[ prō′tə-plăz′əm ]

n.

The complex, semifluid, translucent substance that constitutes the living matter of plant and animal cells and manifests the essential life functions of a cell. Composed of proteins, fats, and other molecules suspended in water, it includes the nucleus and cytoplasm.

Related forms

pro′to•plas′mic (-plăz′mĭk) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for protoplasm

protoplasm

[ prō′tə-plăz′əm ]

The semifluid, translucent substance that forms the living matter in all plant and animal cells. Composed of proteins, fats, and other substances suspended in water, it includes the cytoplasm and (in eukaryotes) the nucleus.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for protoplasm

protoplasm

[ (proh-tuh-plaz-uhm) ]

The jellylike material in a cell, both inside and outside the nucleus, where the chemical reactions that support life take place.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.