plasma

[ plaz-muh ]

noun

1. Anatomy, Physiology. the liquid part of blood or lymph, as distinguished from the suspended elements.
2. Cell Biology. cytoplasm.
3. whey.
4. a green, faintly translucent chalcedony.
5. Physics. a highly ionized gas containing an approximately equal number of positive ions and electrons.

plasma

/ ˈplæzmə; plæzˈmætɪk /

noun

1. the clear yellowish fluid portion of blood or lymph in which the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are suspended
2. short for blood plasma
3. a former name for protoplasm cytoplasm
4. physics
   1. a hot ionized material consisting of nuclei and electrons. It is sometimes regarded as a fourth state of matter and is the material present in the sun, most stars, and fusion reactors
   2. the ionized gas in an electric discharge or spark, containing positive ions and electrons and a small number of negative ions together with un-ionized material
5. a green slightly translucent variety of chalcedony, used as a gemstone
6. a less common term for whey

plasma

/ plăz′mə /

1. See blood plasma
2. Protoplasm or cytoplasm.
3. One of four main states of matter , similar to a gas, but consisting of positively charged ions with most or all of their detached electrons moving freely about. Plasmas are produced by very high temperatures, as in the Sun and other stars, and also by the ionization resulting from exposure to an electric current, as in a fluorescent light bulb or a neon sign.
4. See more at state of matter

plasma

¹

1. A state of matter in which some or all of the electrons have been torn from their parent atoms . The negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions move independently.

plasma

²

1. The liquid part of blood or lymph . Blood plasma is mainly water; it also contains gas es, nutrients, and hormones . The red blood cells , white blood cells , and platelets are all suspended in the plasma of the blood.

Notes

Plasmas are usually associated with very high temperatures — most of the sun is a plasma, for example.

Derived Forms

• plasmatic, adjective

Other Words From

• plas·mat·ic [plaz-, mat, -ik], plasmic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plasma¹

First recorded in 1705–15; from Late Latin, from Greek plásma “formed, molded (thing),” akin to plássein “to form, mold”; plastic

Word History and Origins

Origin of plasma¹

C18: from Late Latin: something moulded, from Greek, from plassein to mould

Example Sentences

This cosmic quake led the magnetar to release a blob of plasma.

From Science News For Students

It works by bathing the masks in plasma, which is an electrically charged gas.

From Science News For Students

Serological testing on frozen blood samples or plasma could also determine how far back coronavirus antibodies were in the human population.

From Time

For instance, payments for the donation of plasma currently ranges from $30 to $60.

From No Straight News

Blood plasma is already used worldwide to treat other diseases.

From Fortune

“Convalescent blood transfusions and plasma transfusions may help people who are sick survive the infection,” he says.

From The Daily Beast

Not only that, they are a rich environment for galaxies, hot plasma, and dark matter.

From The Daily Beast

We did a lot of RD, and came up with a cool, plasma-like energy field that shot out of his hands.

From The Daily Beast

The last time we detected a plasma oscillation was nine years ago.

From The Daily Beast

Gurnett knew that he could use the vibrations in the plasma to determine its density.

From The Daily Beast

Inside these tubes is the blood proper, consisting of a fluid plasma, the colorless corpuscles, and the red corpuscles.

From Project Gutenberg

Lymph, then, is practically blood plasma plus some colorless corpuscles.

From Project Gutenberg

It is through their walls that the food and oxygen pass to the tissues, and carbon dioxide is given up to the plasma.

From Project Gutenberg

The remainder of the protoplasm probably becomes fluid, and afterwards forms the plasma in which the corpuscles float.

From Project Gutenberg

Plasma, plas′ma, n. a green variety of translucent quartz or silica.

From Project Gutenberg

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