Plasm
/plæzəm/noun
A formative substance or living material; in biology, the living substance of a cell, or more generally a molded mass.
Did you know?Plasm ultimately comes from Greek *plásma*, meaning “something molded” or “a formed thing,” from the verb *plássein* (“to mold”), a root that also gave English words tied to shaping, crafting, and making form.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plāk- / *plā-
“To spread, flatten, or mold”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πλάσσειν (plássein)
“To mold, shape, or form”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πλάσμα (plásma)
“Something molded; a formed object or creature”
Late Latin
Latin
plasma
“A molded thing; in medical use, the fluid part of blood”
19th Century
English
plasm
“Living or formative substance; a molding material”