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

This is installed in a vacuum chamber which is flooded with hydrocarbon gases and subjected to heat (1,652 to 2,192 degrees Fahrenheit, or 900 to 1,200 Celsius) and pressure, before a microwave beam causes carbon to condense out of a plasma cloud and crystallize to form diamonds. —Chris Hall, WIRED, 18 July 2024

Argon plasma coagulation: Ionized argon gas delivers thermal energy (plasma). —Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024

There, flitting between the trees, is a humanoid creature with a plasma cannon and an invisibility cloak that proves more formidable than any guerilla grunt. —Will Harris, EW.com, 12 July 2024

This would necessitate an extended shutdown after initial experiments before the reactor could be used at progressively higher energies, using more potent deuterium and deuterium/tritium plasmas. —John Timmer, Ars Technica, 5 July 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