ectoplasm

noun

ec·​to·​plasm ˈek-tə-ˌpla-zəm How to pronounce ectoplasm (audio)
1
: the outer relatively rigid granule-free layer of the cytoplasm usually held to be a gel reversibly convertible to a sol
2
: a substance held to produce spirit materialization and telekinesis
ectoplasmic adjective

Examples of ectoplasm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Arthur Conan Doyle sent him an image of ectoplasm with a handwritten note. Julia Halperin, New York Times, 16 May 2024 Some of them, like me, were journalists who had dutifully showed up to watch Tiffany Haddish trade wisecracks with digital ectoplasm. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023 The vacation rental agency promises that all beds will be freshly made and ectoplasm has been expertly cleaned. oregonlive, 13 Oct. 2022 Arriving in Edinburgh — the fantastical Scottish capital that has long shimmered with ectoplasm — Jessie hides her seafaring coffin and ventures cautiously into town. Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2021 The novel’s ectoplasm hovers between the realms of historical horror and cultural comedy. Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2021 The film intriguingly digs into the loneliness of ghosts and has a fun but gross running gag involving ectoplasm. Bill Keveney, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2021 Like an ectoplasm – nay, a cryptoplasm – ‘chat group’ chat spilled over to internet, then popular media chatter. Robert Hockett, Forbes, 28 June 2021 This is the digital ectoplasm of which Twitter fights are made. Adam Rogers, Wired, 10 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ectoplasm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ectoplasm was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near ectoplasm

Cite this Entry

“Ectoplasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ectoplasm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ectoplasm

noun
ec·​to·​plasm ˈek-tə-ˌplaz-əm How to pronounce ectoplasm (audio)
: the firm outer layer of the cytoplasm of a cell

Medical Definition

ectoplasm

noun
ec·​to·​plasm ˈek-tə-ˌplaz-əm How to pronounce ectoplasm (audio)
: the outer relatively rigid granule-free layer of the cytoplasm usually held to be a gel reversibly convertible to a sol compare endoplasm
ectoplasmic adjective

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