Definition of: protoplasm

(prō′tə·plaz′əm) noun Biol.
1. The physicochemical basis of living matter, a viscid, grayish, translucent, colloidal substance of granular structure and complex composition that forms the essential part of plant and animal cells.
2. The cytoplasm of the cell, as distinguished from the nuclear material. [<G protoplasma <Gk. prōtos first + plasma. See PLASMA]
—pro′to·plas′mic or ·plas′mal or ·plas·mat′ic adjective