n.1 Anat. the functional part of an organ as distinguished from the connective and supporting tissue.
2 Bot. the cellular material, usu. soft and succulent, found esp. in the softer parts of leaves, pulp of fruits, bark and pith of stems, etc.
Derivatives:
parenchymal adj. parenchymatous adj.
Etymology: Gk paregkhuma something poured in besides (as PARA-(1), egkhuma infusion f. egkheo pour in)