shmoo
n.— «Yeast cells don’t have casual sex. Preparations are involved. In particular, the cell must reshape itself, becoming elongated like a microscopic pear. Scientists have a name for a cell in such a state: “shmoo.” The word was coined in 1974 and inspired by the pear-shaped character, the Shmoo, in Al Capp’s comic strip, “Lil Abner.”» —“Eureka! Daily discoveries for the scientifically bent” Bend Weekly (Bend, Oregon) Dec. 21, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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