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

Charged particles known as plasma create space weather that interacts with an upper layer of Earth’s atmosphere, called the ionosphere. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024

The story is also underwhelming, consisting of two unrelated subplots about mutant insects growing to gigantic size after being exposed to a plasma energy experiment, and a cockeyed plot to kill Godzilla by sucking him into a portable black hole. —Katie Rife, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024

CMEs are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun that reach Earth within 15 to 18 hours. —Bradford Betz, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2024

One of the crew members then used the plasma cutter to cut a piece out of the top of the tire as sparks flew out. —Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024

This moving plasma is what generates a star’s magnetic field, known as a magnetic dynamo. —Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024

Then, as the universe cooled, light that was trapped in the elemental plasma fog finally broke free. —Quanta Magazine, 19 Jan. 2024

The current then travels through the ionized plasma to Jupiter, creating massive bursts of lightning. —Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024

Their 28 kilojoule laser system, the team noted, can at least yield more fusion energy than what is contained in the central plasma—an accomplishment that’s on the road toward NIF’s success, but still a distance away. —IEEE Spectrum, 6 Feb. 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