protoplastic

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pro•to•plast  (prō′tə plast′), n. 

1. [Biol.]
   • the contents of a cell within the cell membrane, considered as a fundamental entity.
   • the primordial living unit or cell.
2. Cell Biology a person or thing that is formed first;
   original;
   prototype.
3. Cell Biology the hypothetical first individual or one of the supposed first pair of a species or the like.

• Late Latin prōtoplastus the first man, noun, nominal use of Greek prōtóplastos formed first. See proto-, -plast
• 1525–35

pro′to•plas′tic, adj.