protoplast

[ proh-tuh-plast ]

noun

1. Biology.
   1. the contents of a cell within the cell membrane, considered as a fundamental entity.
   2. the primordial living unit or cell.
2. a person or thing that is formed first; original; prototype.
3. the hypothetical first individual or one of the supposed first pair of a species or the like.

protoplast

/ ˈprəʊtəˌplæst /

noun

1. a unit consisting of the living parts of a cell, including the protoplasm and cell membrane but not the vacuoles or (in plants) the cell wall

Derived Forms

• ˌprotoˈplastic, adjective

Other Words From

• proto·plastic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of protoplast¹

1525–35; < Late Latin prōtoplastus the first man, noun use of Greek prōtóplastos formed first. See proto-, -plast

Word History and Origins

Origin of protoplast¹

C16: from Late Latin prōtoplastus the first-formed, from Greek prōtoplastos, from proto- + plassein to shape

Example Sentences

Stewart and his collaborators have developed a robot that performs an established technique called protoplast transformation faster and more accurately than is possible by hand.

From Nature

The curtain of the night was torn To show the protoplast Transfigured on the finer face Of that far prehistoric race— We, clumsy, call Lemurian!

From Project Gutenberg

Fortunately the time was already past when protoplast patients were looked upon as something mildly freakish and to be pitied.

From Project Gutenberg

Shall this germ and protoplast of being Rest mid-life and say his race is run?

From Project Gutenberg

Ferragut, on passing from one tank to the other, mentally established the gradation of the fauna from the primitive protoplast to the perfect organism.

From Project Gutenberg