ylem

[ ahy-luhm ]

noun

1. the hypothetical initial substance of the universe from which all matter is derived.

ylem

/ ˈaɪləm /

noun

1. the original matter from which the basic elements are said to have been formed following the explosion postulated in the big bang theory of cosmology

Word History and Origins

Origin of ylem¹

First recorded in 1945–50; adoption, in modern astrophysics, of Middle English ylem (Gower), from Medieval Latin (h)ȳlem, from Late Latin, accusative of hȳlē “stuff, materials, matter,” from Greek hȳ́lē “forest, wood, woodland,” and in Aristotle's philosophy “matter”

Word History and Origins

Origin of ylem¹

Middle English, from Old French ilem, from Latin hӯlē stuff, matter, from Greek hulē wood, matter

Example Sentences

“I’m going to keep this for the rest of my life,” said the Brazilian fan Arnaldo Ylem, 50, proudly looking down at his Fan ID.

From New York Times

In the beginning, says one school of cosmology, there was "ylem"*: a featureless mass of protons and neutrons containing all the matter in the universe.

From Time Magazine Archive

The ylem exploded with enough force to toss most of its matter a billion light years away.

From Time Magazine Archive

Cosmologists, of course, do not know that there was ever any such thing as ylem.

From Time Magazine Archive

Since this is the case, argue cosmologists led by Dr. George Gamow of George Washington University, all the elements must have originated just after the great event when the ylem exploded.

From Time Magazine Archive