plasmid

noun

plas·​mid ˈplaz-məd How to pronounce plasmid (audio)
: an extrachromosomal ring of DNA especially of bacteria that replicates autonomously

Examples of plasmid in a Sentence

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Han was accused of smuggling in filter paper containing plasmids on Sept. 23 and March 5 and petri dishes containg C. elegans with genetic modifications on Sept. 29, according to an information filed in court June 26. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 19 Aug. 2025 Through the not-for-profit plasmid repository Addgene, PROTEUS will be available to any lab worldwide with the appropriate infrastructure, virology training, and skills in molecular biology. IEEE Spectrum, 27 July 2025 The strain also carried a separate genetic element (a plasmid) that provided resistance mechanisms against streptomycin and spectinomycin, cephalosporins, macrolides, and sulphonamides. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Apr. 2025 Once purified, the plasmids and enzymes are piped into other tanks, where a biochemical reaction produces the dsRNA. Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 27 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for plasmid

Word History

Etymology

plasma + -id entry 2

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plasmid was in 1952

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Cite this Entry

“Plasmid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plasmid. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

plasmid

noun
plas·​mid ˈplaz-məd How to pronounce plasmid (audio)
: an extrachromosomal ring of DNA that replicates autonomously and is found especially in bacteria compare episome

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