the reproductive cells of an organism, particularly that portion of the reproductive cells involved in heredity
see also somatoplasm
germ plasm in American English
noun
the protoplasm of the germ cells containing the chromosomes
Word origin
[1885–90]This word is first recorded in the period 1885–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: retread, seminar, sensitization, toner, zoom
Examples of 'germ plasm' in a sentence
germ plasm
Foes say farmers have done agricultural research without patents since time immemorial, creating the germ plasm used in laboratories today.