the living contents of a cell, differentiated into cytoplasm and nucleoplasm
Derived forms
protoplasmic (ˌprotoˈplasmic) or protoplasmatic (ˌprotoplasˈmatic) or rare protoplasmal (ˌprotoˈplasmal)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from New Latin, from proto- + Greek plasma form
protoplasm in American English
(ˈproʊtəˌplæzəm)
noun
a semifluid, viscous, translucent colloid, the essential living matter of all animal and plant cells: it consists largely of water, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and inorganic salts and is differentiated into nucleoplasm and cytoplasm