plasma

noun

plas·​ma ˈplaz-mə 

1

: a green faintly translucent quartz

2

[New Latin, from Late Latin]

a

: the fluid part of blood, lymph, or milk as distinguished from suspended material

especially : blood plasma

b

: the juice that can be expressed from muscle

3

: protoplasm

4

: a collection of charged particles (as in the atmospheres of stars or in a metal) containing about equal numbers of positive ions and electrons and exhibiting some properties of a gas but differing from a gas in being a good conductor of electricity and in being affected by a magnetic field

5

: a display (such as a television screen) consisting of discrete cells of plasma sandwiched between two layers of glass and electrodes such that each cell emits light when it receives an electric current

plasmatic

plaz-ˈma-tik 

adjective

Examples of plasma in a Sentence

the plasma that makes up a star

Our new TV is a 50-inch plasma.

Recent Examples on the Web

The wide coverage area of the phone map data also gives researchers the opportunity to see and document interesting ionosphere phenomena, like plasma bubbles, with a limited amount of specialized equipment. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024

Crime scene tape was up around the plasma center near the intersection of North Post Road and East 38th Street. —Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Oct. 2024

The cause of the natural phenomenon, also known as the aurora borealis, was an intense geomagnetic storm triggered by a massive explosion of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun toward Earth. —Ariana Garcia, Chron, 11 Oct. 2024

Hisense 58-Inch Class R6 Series 4K UHD Roku Smart TV Hisense 58-Inch Class R6 Series 4K UHD Roku Smart TV Net $60 off a 58-inch plasma that has Roku compatibility and more. —Kasey Caminiti, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German, from Late Latin, something molded, from Greek, from plassein to mold — more at plaster

First Known Use

1517, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plasma

• blood plasma
• convalescent plasma
• plasma cell
• plasma jet
• plasma membrane
• plasma torch

Kids Definition

plasma

noun

plas·​ma ˈplaz-mə 

1

: the watery part of blood, lymph, or milk

2

: a collection of charged particles that shows some characteristics of a gas but that differs from a gas in being a good conductor of electricity and in being affected by a magnetic field

Medical Definition

plasma

noun

plas·​ma ˈplaz-mə 

1

a

: the fluid part especially of blood, lymph, or milk that is distinguished from suspended material see blood plasma

b

: the juice that can be expressed from muscle

2

: protoplasm

3

: a mixture of starch and gel used as an ointment base