# plasma vs plasmid

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### plasma
*noun · IPA /ˈplæzmə/ · frequency rank #7,724*
A state of matter consisting of partially ionized gas and electrons.

### plasmid
*noun · IPA /ˈplæzmɪd/ · frequency rank #42,823*
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.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plasma-vs-plasmid