protoplasm
English edit
Etymology edit
From German Protoplasma, coined by Czech physiologist Jan Evangelista Purkyně, from Ancient Greek πρῶτος (prôtos, “first”) + πλάσμα (plásma, “something molded”). The word Protoplasmus was used in Late Latin, meaning “first created human” (i.e. Adam), and may have existed in Byzantine Greek in a different sense.
Pronunciation edit
Audio (US) (file)
Noun edit
protoplasm (countable and uncountable, plural protoplasms)
- (cytology) The entire contents of a cell comprising the nucleus and the cytoplasm. It is a semi-fluid, transparent substance which is the living matter of plant and animal cells.
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
entire contents of a cell
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Further reading edit
- protoplasm on Wikipedia.Wikipedia