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syncytium

[ sin-sish-uh m, -ee-uh m ]
/ sɪnˈsɪʃ əm, -i əm /

noun, plural syn·cy·tia [sin-sish-uh, -sish-ee-uh] /sɪnˈsɪʃ ə, -ˈsɪʃ i ə/. Biology.

a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into cells.

Nearby words

  1. syncretize,
  2. syncrisis,
  3. syncytial,
  4. syncytial knot,
  5. syncytiotrophoblast,
  6. synd,
  7. synd.,
  8. syndactyl,
  9. syndactylia,
  10. syndactylism

Origin of syncytium

From New Latin, dating back to 1875–80; see origin at syn-, cyto-, -ium
Related formssyn·cy·tial [sin-sish-uh l] /sɪnˈsɪʃ əl/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for syncytial

syncytium

/ (sɪnˈsɪtɪəm) /

noun plural -cytia (-ˈsɪtɪə)

zoology a mass of cytoplasm containing many nuclei and enclosed in a cell membrane
Derived Formssyncytial, adjective

Word Origin for syncytium

C19: New Latin; see syn-, cyto-, -ium
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
Word Origin and History for syncytial

syncytial

adj.

1895, "pertaining to a syncytium" (1877), Modern Latin, from Greek syn "together" (see syn-) + kytos "receptacle, vessel," used in biology for "cell" (see cyto-).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for syncytial

syncytium

[ sĭn-sĭsh′ē-əm ]

n. pl. syn•cy•ti•a (-sĭsh′ē-ə)

A mass of cytoplasm having many nuclei but no internal cell boundaries.
Related formssyn•cy′ti•al adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.