germplasm

C2+ Topic:Materials & Substances

Also spelled germ-plasm

US /ˈdʒɝːmˌplæzəm/ UK /ˈdʒɜːmˌplæzəm/ See IPA manual

Freq #622684

Meanings

1

noun
the hereditary material of a species or breeding line, especially as transmitted through reproductive cells

The mutation entered the germplasm and could therefore pass to later generations.
2

noun
living genetic resources, such as seeds, tissue, or reproductive material, maintained for breeding, conservation, or research

The seed bank preserves crop germplasm from drought-tolerant varieties.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the hereditary material of... germ plasmhereditary material

2 noun · living genetic resources,... genetic resourcesgerm plasm

Word family

Derived forms germplasm bank

Related forms geneticsgene poolseed bankbreeding conservation

Etymology

Formed from germ + plasm and influenced by German Keimplasma, 'germ plasm,' the term used in August Weismann's nineteenth-century theory of hereditary material in germ cells. Modern agriculture and conservation use germplasm for stored living genetic resources.

Topics

Materials & Substances

External links

# germplasm

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈdʒɝːmˌplæzəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdʒɜːmˌplæzəm/
**Frequency rank:** 622684

## Meanings
1. the hereditary material of a species or breeding line, especially as transmitted through reproductive cells
2. living genetic resources, such as seeds, tissue, or reproductive material, maintained for breeding, conservation, or research

## Examples
- The mutation entered the germplasm and could therefore pass to later generations.
- The seed bank preserves crop germplasm from drought-tolerant varieties.

## Synonyms
- germ plasm
- hereditary material
- genetic resources

## Derived Forms
- germplasm bank

## Related Forms
- genetics
- gene pool
- seed bank
- breeding
- conservation

## Etymology
Formed from germ + plasm and influenced by German Keimplasma, 'germ plasm,' the term used in August Weismann's nineteenth-century theory of hereditary material in germ cells. Modern agriculture and conservation use germplasm for stored living genetic resources.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances

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