parenchyma: Meaning and Definition of

pa•ren•chy•ma

Pronunciation: (pu-reng'ku-mu), [key]
— n.
  1. the fundamental tissue of plants, composed of thin-walled cells able to divide.
  2. the specific tissue of an animal organ as distinguished from its connective or supporting tissue.
  3. a type of soft, spongy connective tissue of certain invertebrates, as the flatworms.
  4. the functional tissue of a morbid growth.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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