— protoplasmic, protoplasmal, protoplasmatic /proh'toh plaz mat"ik/ , adj.
/proh"teuh plaz'euhm/ , n.
1. Biol. (no longer in technical use) the colloidal and liquid substance of which cells are formed, excluding horny, chitinous, and other structural material; the cytoplasm and nucleus.
2. Obs. the living matter of organisms regarded as the physical basis of life, having the ability to sense and conduct stimuli.
[ 1840-50; protoplasma. See PROTO-, -PLASM ]