syncytium

American  

[sin-sish-uhm, -ee-uhm] / sɪnˈsɪʃ əm, -i əm /

noun

Biology.

plural

syncytia

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

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syncytium British  

/ sɪnˈsɪtɪəm /

noun

1. zoology a mass of cytoplasm containing many nuclei and enclosed in a cell membrane

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Other Word Forms

• syncytial adjective

Etymology

Origin of syncytium

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

Example Sentences

Instead the cells of their primitive nervous system, known as a nerve net, are fused together, forming a syncytium—“an entirely new way to build a nervous system,” Dunn says.

From Scientific American

If we keep at it, we will become a computer to end all computers, capable of fusing all the thoughts of the world into a syncytium.

From Literature

Externally is a thin cuticle; this covers the epidermis, which consists of a syncytium with no cell limits.

From Project Gutenberg

Inside the syncytium is a not very regular layer of circular muscle fibres, and within this again some rather scattered longitudinal fibres; there is no endothelium.

From Project Gutenberg