ectoplasm
Ectoplasm (noun) means In spiritualism, a mysterious substance said to be given off by a medium's body during a séance. Example: “The photograph supposedly showed ectoplasm streaming from the medium's mouth.”
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
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The photograph supposedly showed _____ streaming from the medium's mouth.
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.
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for ectoplasm
See all rhymes for ectoplasm →Frequently asked questions
What does “ectoplasm” mean?
The word “ectoplasm” means in spiritualism, a mysterious substance said to be given off by a medium's body during a séance. In plain terms, a ghostly, unexplained substance from séances — or, in biology, the outer layer of a cell's cytoplasm.
How do you pronounce “ectoplasm”?
“Ectoplasm” is pronounced EHK-tuh-pla-zuhm (/ˈɛktəˌplæzəm/ in IPA).
How do you use “ectoplasm” in a sentence?
Here is “ectoplasm” used in a sentence: “The photograph supposedly showed ectoplasm streaming from the medium's mouth.”
What is another word for “ectoplasm”?
Words with a similar meaning to “ectoplasm” include teleplasm.
What part of speech is “ectoplasm”?
“Ectoplasm” is a noun.
How many meanings does “ectoplasm” have?
“Ectoplasm” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in spiritualism, a mysterious substance said to be given off by a medium's body during a séance.