cytoplasm

noun

cy·​to·​plasm ˈsī-tə-ˌpla-zəm 

: the organized complex of inorganic and organic substances external to the nuclear membrane of a cell and including the cytosol and membrane-bound organelles (such as mitochondria or chloroplasts) see cell illustration

cytoplasmic

ˌsī-tə-ˈplaz-mik 

adjective

cytoplasmically

ˌsī-tə-ˈplaz-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of cytoplasm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Under a microscope, biomolecular condensates look like tiny objects adrift in a sea of cytoplasm packed with organelles and other structures. —Trevor Grandpre, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2024

In young oocytes, they are situated throughout the cytoplasm. —Quanta Magazine, 13 May 2024

Then there are circular RNAs: mRNA molecules (particularly in neurons) that get stitched into a circular form before they are moved beyond the nucleus into the cytoplasm. —Philip Ball, Scientific American, 14 May 2024

By the time an oocyte is fully mature, harmful protein aggregates are undetectable, and the ELVAs vanish, revealing a clean cytoplasm. —Quanta Magazine, 13 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cytoplasm

noun

cy·​to·​plasm ˈsīt-ə-ˌplaz-əm 

: the part of a cell outside the nucleus that includes a fluidlike substance and organelles (as chloroplasts and mitochondria)

cytoplasmic

ˌsīt-ə-ˈplaz-mik 

adjective

Medical Definition

cytoplasm

noun

cy·​to·​plasm ˈsīt-ə-ˌplaz-əm 

: the organized complex of inorganic and organic substances external to the nuclear membrane of a cell and including the cytosol and membrane-bound organelles (as mitochondria or chloroplasts)

cytoplasmic

ˌsīt-ə-ˈplaz-mik 

adjective

cytoplasmically

-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb