parenchyma

UK: /pəˈrɛŋkɪmə/ US: (pə reng′kə mə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pa•ren•chy•ma  (pə reng′kə mə), n. 

1. Botany the fundamental tissue of plants, composed of thin-walled cells able to divide.
2. Anatomy, Zoology, Zoology the specific tissue of an animal organ as distinguished from its connective or supporting tissue.
3. Zoology a type of soft, spongy connective tissue of certain invertebrates, as the flatworms.
4. Pathology the functional tissue of a morbid growth.

• Greek parénchyma literally, something poured in beside, equivalent. to par- par- + énchyma infusion; see en-², chyme
• Neo-Latin
• 1645–55;

pa•ren′chy•mal, par•en•chym•a•tous  (par′əng kim′ə təs), adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

parenchyma / pəˈrɛŋkɪmə/ noun

1. unspecialized plant tissue consisting of simple thin-walled cells with intervening air spaces: constitutes the greater part of fruits, stems, roots, etc
2. animal tissue that constitutes the essential or specialized part of an organ as distinct from the blood vessels, connective tissue, etc, associated with it

Etymology: 17th Century: via New Latin from Greek parenkhuma something poured in beside, from para-¹ + enkhuma infusion

parenchymatous / ˌpærɛŋˈkɪmətəs/, parenchymal / pəˈrɛŋkɪm^əl/ adjective