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

  • (file)

Noun edit

protoplasm (countable and uncountable, plural protoplasms)

  1. (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

Further reading edit