protoplasm

P3R1O1T1O1P3L1A1S1M3

noun

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.

Similar
living substance
OriginGerman Protoplasma ← Ancient Greek πρῶτος →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounprotoplasm (countable and uncountable, plural protoplasms)

plural protoplasms

  1. countableuncountablebiologyThe 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.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe substance of a living cell (including cytoplasm and nucleus)

Similar
living substance
Broader
substance
Also see
sarcode

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπρῶτος“first”
  2. GermanProtoplasma
  3. Englishprotoplasm

From German Protoplasma, coined by Czech physiologist Jan Evangelista Purkyně, from Ancient Greek πρῶτος (prôtos, “first”) + πλάσμα (plásma, “something molded”). By surface analysis, proto- + -plasm. Compare also protoplasma, used in Late Latin for the “first-created one” (i.e. Adam).

More words from German, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian протопла́зма
  • протопла́зма (protoplázma)entire contents of a cell
Chinese Mandarin 原形質 /原形质, 原生質 /原生质
  • 原形質 /原形质 (yuánxíngzhì)entire contents of a cell
  • 原生質 /原生质 (yuánshēngzhì)entire contents of a cell
Czech protoplazma
  • protoplazmaentire contents of a cell
Dutch protoplasma
  • protoplasmaentire contents of a cell
Finnish alkulima, protoplasma
  • alkulimaentire contents of a cell
  • protoplasmaentire contents of a cell
French protoplasme
  • protoplasmeentire contents of a cell
German Protoplasma
  • Protoplasmaentire contents of a cell
Greek πρωτόπλασμα
  • πρωτόπλασμα (protóplasma)entire contents of a cell
Icelandic frymi
  • frymientire contents of a cell
Indonesian protoplasma
  • protoplasmaentire contents of a cell
Irish prótaplasma, réamhdhamhna
  • prótaplasmaentire contents of a cell
  • réamhdhamhnaentire contents of a cell
Italian protoplasma
  • protoplasmaentire contents of a cell
Japanese 原形質
  • 原形質 (genkeishitsu)entire contents of a cell
Polish protoplazma, zaródź
  • protoplazmaentire contents of a cell
  • zaródźentire contents of a cell
Portuguese protoplasma
  • protoplasmaentire contents of a cell
Russian протопла́зма
  • протопла́зма (protoplázma)entire contents of a cell
Tagalog mulkaphay
  • mulkaphayentire contents of a cell
Cite this entry
APA

protoplasm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/protoplasm

MLA

“protoplasm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/protoplasm. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “protoplasm,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/protoplasm.

Source: protoplasm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.