plasma

Plasma is a colorless, watery fluid in the blood and lymph system where blood cells are suspended.

(noun)

The colorless, watery fluid in your blood is an example of plasma.

YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.

See plasma in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. a green, somewhat translucent variety of chalcedony
  2. the fluid part of blood, lymph, milk, or intramuscular liquid; esp., the fluid part of blood, as distinguished from the corpuscles, used for transfusions
  3. protoplasm
    1. any highly ionized gas, as that in a glowing fluorescent lamp
    2. a unique form of matter, as in a star, consisting of highly energized, freely moving ions and electrons
  4. a flat-screen, high-definition video display consisting of a grid of tiny, gas-filled fluorescent cells that emit colors of varying intensities as the gas is ionized by an electrical signal

Origin: Ger < Gr, something molded < plassein, to form: see plastic

Related Forms:

See plasma in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. a. The clear, yellowish fluid portion of blood, lymph, or intramuscular fluid in which cells are suspended. It differs from serum in that it contains fibrin and other soluble clotting elements.
    b. Blood plasma.
  2. Medicine Cell-free, sterilized blood plasma, used in transfusions.
  3. Protoplasm or cytoplasm.
  4. The fluid portion of milk from which the curd has been separated by coagulation; whey.
  5. Physics An electrically neutral, highly ionized gas composed of ions, electrons, and neutral particles. It is a phase of matter distinct from solids, liquids, and normal gases.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin

Origin: , from Late Latin, image, figure

Origin: , from Greek

Origin: , from plassein, to mold; see pelə-2 in Indo-European roots

.

Related Forms:

  • plas·matˈic (plăz-mătˈĭk), plasˈmic (-mĭk) adjective

Learn more about plasma

Related Articles

link/cite print suggestion box