noun
ectoplasm
EHK-tuh-pla-zuhm
noun
1
In spiritualism, a mysterious substance said to be given off by a medium's body during a séance.
"The photograph supposedly showed ectoplasm streaming from the medium's mouth."
2
In biology, the outer, denser layer of a cell's cytoplasm.
"Under the microscope, the amoeba's ectoplasm appeared clear and jelly-like."
How to Use Ectoplasm
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA ghostly, unexplained substance from séances — or, in biology, the outer layer of a cell's cytoplasm.
Word Forms
ectoplasms plural
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Etymology
From "ecto-" ("outside") plus "-plasm" ("formed substance") — the spiritualist sense reflects the belief that this substance emerges from, and appears outside of, the medium's body.