# plasma

/ˈpɫæzmə/ (US) · /plˈæzmɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/plasma
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 3. green quartz

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a type of green stone used in the past for making jewelry and decorations.

For teachers: a variety of leek-green chalcedony or quartz, historically used for engraved gems and ornaments.

- The museum displayed an ancient ring made of carved green plasma.
- The collection included several exquisite intaglios carved from plasma, a material favoured by Roman lapidaries for its deep, translucent green hue.

### 4. to turn into plasma

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to change something into the plasma state of matter.

For teachers: to convert a substance into a plasma state, typically through intense heating or electromagnetic fields.

- The machine uses high energy to plasma the gas inside the chamber.
- In the experimental reactor, the hydrogen fuel is heated until it begins to plasma, allowing for the study of high-energy particle interactions.

## Examples

- The patient needs a plasma transfusion to help with their recovery.
- Doctors often separate plasma from the rest of the blood to treat specific medical conditions or for research.
- In the field of astrophysics, plasma is considered the fourth state of matter, comprising the vast majority of the observable universe including the sun and other stars.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.