— protoplastic , adj.
/proh"teuh plast'/ , n.
1. Biol.
a. the contents of a cell within the cell membrane, considered as a fundamental entity.
b. the primordial living unit or cell.
2. a person or thing that is formed first; original; prototype.
3. the hypothetical first individual or one of the supposed first pair of a species or the like.
[ 1525-35; protoplastus the first man, n. use of Gk protóplastos formed first. See PROTO-, -PLAST ]