Hyaloplasm
/ˌhaɪələˈplæzəm/noun
The clear, fluid portion of a cell’s cytoplasm surrounding its organelles.
Did you know?The name combines Greek hýalos, “glass” or “crystal,” with plasma, “something formed or molded,” reflecting the material’s apparently clear, structured appearance under early microscopy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plak-
“To spread out, flatten, or shape; the ancient root behind the forming sense of plasma.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hýalos
“Glass, crystal, or a transparent substance.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
plássein; plásma
“To mold or form; something molded or formed.”
19th Century
Scientific Latin/Greek
hyaloplasma
“A term constructed from “glass” and “formed substance” for the clear ground material of a cell.”
19th–20th Century
English
hyaloplasm
“The transparent or relatively fluid ground substance of cytoplasm, distinguished from visible cell structures.”
Modern English
English
hyaloplasm
“The clear cytoplasmic matrix surrounding cellular organelles, a term now used mainly in specialized biology.”