Synonyms of plasmanext
1
: a green faintly translucent quartz
2
[New Latin, from Late Latin]
a
: the fluid part of blood, lymph, or milk as distinguished from suspended material
especially : blood plasma
b
: the juice that can be expressed from muscle
3
4
: a collection of charged particles (as in the atmospheres of stars or in a metal) containing about equal numbers of positive ions and electrons and exhibiting some properties of a gas but differing from a gas in being a good conductor of electricity and in being affected by a magnetic field
5
: a display (such as a television screen) consisting of discrete cells of plasma sandwiched between two layers of glass and electrodes such that each cell emits light when it receives an electric current

Examples of plasma in a Sentence

the plasma that makes up a star Our new TV is a 50-inch plasma.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hinojosa speaks of seeing long lines outside plasma centers—a reliable source of income for many. — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 Think super-powerful magnets in medical imaging and particle physics experiments; faster circuits that won’t overheat; potential for nuclear fusion plasma confinement. — Sven Badoux, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026 Helion recently closed a $500 million investment round and reported plasma temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026 For the first 380,000 years after the Big Bang, the cosmos was filled with a hot plasma in which light was trapped. — Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plasma

Word History

Etymology

German, from Late Latin, something molded, from Greek, from plassein to mold — more at plaster

First Known Use

1517, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plasma was in 1517

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plasma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plasma. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: the watery part of blood, lymph, or milk
2
: a collection of charged particles that shows some characteristics of a gas but that differs from a gas in being a good conductor of electricity and in being affected by a magnetic field

Medical Definition

1
a
: the fluid part especially of blood, lymph, or milk that is distinguished from suspended material see blood plasma
b
: the juice that can be expressed from muscle
2
3
: a mixture of starch and gel used as an ointment base

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