Germplasm
/ˈdʒɜːrmˌplæzəm/noun
The living genetic material that carries hereditary information in plants, animals, and other organisms.
Did you know?The word is a scientific compound from Germanic-Latin roots, and it became important in biology because it names the hereditary substance that can be preserved, swapped, and propagated like living potential.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰer-
“to sprout, grow ripe”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pleh₁-
“to fill”
Latin
Latin
plasma
“a molded thing, something formed”
Greek
Greek
plásma
“something molded or formed”
Modern English
English
germplasm
“the hereditary living substance of an organism, especially the germ cells and tissues used in breeding or conservation”
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