serum
nounUK /ˈsɪəɹəm/ · US /ˈsɪɹəm/
Etymology From Latin serum (“whey”). Cognates include French sérum, Spanish suero, Italian siere, siero, Portuguese soro. Doublet of suero.
Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of blood serum.
Blood serum used as a blood product, in the practice of medicine: blood serum from the tissues of immunized animals (human or nonhuman), containing antibodies and used to transfer immunity to another individual (human or nonhuman).
- Near-synonym: antiserum
A watery liquid from animal tissue, especially one that moistens the surface of serous membranes or that is exuded by such membranes when they become inflamed, such as in edema or a blister.
The watery portion of certain other animal fluids, such as milk; whey.
A skincare product of varying consistencies with a high concentration of one or more active ingredients, for a targeted purpose, such as preventing acne, repairing sun damage, or moisturizing.
- Derived terms
- antiserum, autoserum, blood serum, convalescent serum, immune serum, immunoserum, nonserum, serous, serumal, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serumless, serum sickness, serumuria, truth serum