protoplast

pro·to·plast  (prt-plst)

n.

1. Biology The living material of a plant or bacterial cell, including the protoplasm and plasma membrane after the cell wall has been removed.

2. One that is the first made or formed; a prototype.

---

[French protoplaste, from Old French, the first man, from Late Latin prtoplastus, from Greek prtoplastos : prto-, proto- + plastos, formed, molded; see -plast.]

---

proto·plastic adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

protoplast - a biological unit consisting of a nucleus and the body of cytoplasm with which it interacts energid cell - (biology) the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms; they may exist as independent units of life (as in monads) or may form colonies or tissues as in higher plants and animals body part - any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity