colloid adjective & noun. ['kɒlɔɪd] M19.
[from Greek kolla glue + -OID.]
A. adjective. Of the nature or appearance of glue; Medicine characterized by the formation of colloid; Chemistry = COLLOIDAL. rare in gen. sense. M19.
b. noun.
1. Anatomy & Medicine. A jelly-like substance; esp. (a) one characteristic of certain cancers; (b) one normally present in the follicles of the thyroid gland. M19.

2. Chemistry. A non-crystalline substance consisting of ultramicroscopic particles (often large single molecules); such a substance dispersed in another phase, esp. to form a viscous solution having special properties. M19.
protective colloid: see PROTECTIVE adjective 3a.

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