What does "plasmid" mean?

A loop of double-stranded DNA that is separate from — and replicates independently of — the chromosomes; such loops are most commonly found in bacteria, but they are also sometimes found in archaeans and eukaryotic cells, and they are used in genetic engineering as a vector for gene transfer.

What is a synonym for "plasmid"?

Common synonyms include: plasmid dna.

Plasmid

//ˈplæzmɪd// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
A loop of double-stranded DNA that is separate from — and replicates independently of — the chromosomes; such loops are most commonly found in bacteria, but they are also sometimes found in archaeans and eukaryotic cells, and they are used in genetic engineering as a vector for gene transfer.
"These discussions have left a plethora of terms adrift: pangenes, bioblasts, plasmagenes, plastogenes, chondriogenes, cytogenes and proviruses, which have lost their original utility owing to the accretion of vague or contradictory connotations. At the risk of adding to this list, I propose plasmid as a generic term for any extrachromosomal hereditary determinant."
2
a small cellular inclusion consisting of a ring of DNA that is not in a chromosome but is capable of autonomous replication wordnet