plasma

US /ˈplæzmə/ See IPA manual

Freq #9162

Meanings

1

noun
(physical chemistry) a fourth state of matter distinct from solid or liquid or gas and present in stars and fusion reactors

A gas becomes a plasma when it is heated until the atoms lose all their electrons, leaving a highly electrified collection of nuclei and free electrons.
2

noun
A state of matter consisting of partially ionized gas and electrons.

Plasma arc cutter.
3

noun
A clear component of blood or lymph containing fibrin.

Blood plasma.
4

noun
A variety of green quartz, used in ancient times for making engraved ornaments.

Hair-pins of jade, ivory, and plasma.

Thesaurus

Word family

Derived forms antiplasmabioplasmaglasmahaemoplasmahemoplasmahydroplasmahyperplasmalymphoplasmamagnetoplasmamicroplasmamycoplasmananoplasma

Related forms plasmic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

plasma membrane
the thin boundary surrounding a cell's contents and controlling movement into and out of it

Noun + noun

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Hellenic *plátʰyō Proto-Hellenic *pláťťō? Ancient Greek πλᾰ́σσω (plắssō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek πλᾰ́σμᾰ (plắsmă)der. Late Latin plasmader. English plasma From Late Latin plasma (“mold”), from Ancient Greek πλάσμα (plásma, “something formed”).

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# plasma

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈplæzmə/
**Frequency rank:** 9162

## Meanings
1. (physical chemistry) a fourth state of matter distinct from solid or liquid or gas and present in stars and fusion reactors
2. A state of matter consisting of partially ionized gas and electrons.
3. A clear component of blood or lymph containing fibrin.
4. A variety of green quartz, used in ancient times for making engraved ornaments.

## Examples
- A gas becomes a plasma when it is heated until the atoms lose all their electrons, leaving a highly electrified collection of nuclei and free electrons.
- Plasma arc cutter.
- Blood plasma.
- Hair-pins of jade, ivory, and plasma.

## Derived Forms
- antiplasma
- bioplasma
- glasma
- haemoplasma
- hemoplasma
- hydroplasma
- hyperplasma
- lymphoplasma
- magnetoplasma
- microplasma
- mycoplasma
- nanoplasma

## Related Forms
- plasmic

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Hellenic *plátʰyō Proto-Hellenic *pláťťō? Ancient Greek πλᾰ́σσω (plắssō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek πλᾰ́σμᾰ (plắsmă)der. Late Latin plasmader. English plasma From Late Latin plasma (“mold”), from Ancient Greek πλάσμα (plásma, “something formed”).

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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