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

syncretism, syncretize, syncrisis, syncytial knot, syncytiotrophoblast, syncytium, synd, synd., syndactyl, syndactylia, syndactylism

Origin of syncytium

From New Latin, dating back to 1875–80; see origin at syn-, cyto-, -ium

Related forms

syn·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 Forms

syncytial, 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

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 forms

syn•cy′ti•al adj.