plastid

noun

plas·​tid ˈpla-stəd How to pronounce plastid (audio)
: any of various cytoplasmic organelles (such as an amyloplast or chloroplast) of photosynthetic organisms (such as plants) that serve in many cases as centers of special metabolic activities (such as starch storage)
plastidial adjective

Examples of plastid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Senior author Benoît Boachon, a plant biochemist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, says most plants keep GGP and NUDX1 hydrolase in another area called the plastids. Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Popular Science, 3 May 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

German, from Greek plastos molded

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plastid was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near plastid

Cite this Entry

“Plastid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plastid. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

plastid

noun
plas·​tid ˈplas-təd How to pronounce plastid (audio)
: any of various small bodies (as chloroplasts) that occur in the cytoplasm of cells of photosynthetic organisms (as plants) and that often serve as centers for special activities (as storage of starch)

Medical Definition

plastid

noun
plas·​tid ˈplas-təd How to pronounce plastid (audio)
: any of various cytoplasmic organelles of photosynthetic cells that serve in many cases as centers of special metabolic activities
plastidial adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on plastid

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