serum
[ seer-uhm ]
/ ˈsɪər əm /
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noun, plural se·rums, se·ra [seer-uh]. /ˈsɪər ə/.
the clear, pale-yellow liquid that separates from the clot in the coagulation of blood; blood serum.
any watery animal fluid.
the thin, clear part of the fluid of plants.
milk whey.
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Origin of serum
1655–65; <Latin: whey
OTHER WORDS FROM serum
se·rum·al, adjectiveWords nearby serum
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for serum
serum
/ (ˈsɪərəm) /
noun plural -rums or -ra (-rə)
See blood serum
antitoxin obtained from the blood serum of immunized animals
physiol zoology clear watery fluid, esp that exuded by serous membranes
a less common word for whey
Derived forms of serum
serumal, adjectiveWord Origin for serum
C17: from Latin: whey
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
Medical definitions for serum
serum
[ sîr′əm ]
n. pl. se•rums
A watery fluid, especially one that moistens the surface of serous membranes or that is exuded by such membranes when they become inflamed.
The clear yellowish fluid obtained upon separating whole blood into its solid and liquid components.
Such fluid from the tissues of immunized animals, containing antibodies and used to transfer immunity to another individual.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for serum
serum
[ sîr′əm ]
Plural serums sera
See blood serum.
Blood serum extracted from an animal that has immunity to a particular disease. The serum contains antibodies to one or more specific disease antigens, and when injected into humans or other animals, it can transfer immunity to those diseases.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.