colloid

noun col·loid \ˈkä-ˌlȯid\

Definition of COLLOID

: a gelatinous or mucinous substance found normally in the thyroid and also in diseased tissue

a : a substance that consists of particles dispersed throughout another substance which are too small for resolution with an ordinary light microscope but are incapable of passing through a semipermeable membrane

b : a mixture consisting of a colloid together with the medium in which it is dispersed <smoke is a colloid>

— col·loi·dal \kə-ˈlȯi-d^əl, kä-\ adjective

— col·loi·dal·ly adverb

See colloid defined for kids

Origin of COLLOID

International Scientific Vocabulary coll- + -oid

First Known Use: circa 1852

Rhymes with COLLOID

android, avoid, chancroid, conoid, crinoid, cuboid, cycloid, deltoid, dendroid, devoid, discoid, factoid, fibroid, fungoid, ganoid, globoid, hydroid, hypnoid, keloid, mastoid, mucoid, ovoid, prismoid, pygmoid, rhizoid, rhomboid, schizoid, scombroid, sigmoid, spheroid, steroid, styloid, tabloid, thalloid, thyroid, toroid, toxoid, trochoid, typhoid, Veddoid, viroid

Medical Dictionary

colloid

noun col·loid \ˈkäl-ˌȯid\

Medical Definition of COLLOID

: a gelatinous or mucinous substance found in tissues in disease or normally (as in the thyroid)

a : a substance consisting of particles that are dispersed throughout another substance and are too small for resolution with an ordinary light microscope but are incapable of passing through a semipermeable membrane b : a mixture (as smoke) consisting of a colloid together with the medium in which it is dispersed

—col·loi·dal \kə-ˈlȯid-^əl, kä-\ adjective

—col·loi·dal·ly \-^əl-ē\ adverb