somatic

views updated May 21 2018

so·mat·ic / səˈmatik; sō-/ • adj. of or relating to the body, esp. as distinct from the mind. ∎  Biol. of or relating to the soma. ∎  Anat. of or relating to the outer wall of the body, as opposed to the viscera.DERIVATIVES: so·mat·i·cal·ly adv.

somatic

views updated May 23 2018

somatic
1. Relating to all the cells of an animal or plant other than the reproductive cells. Thus a somatic mutation is one that is not heritable.

2. Relating to organs and tissues of the body other than the gut and its associated structures. The term is applied especially to voluntary muscles, the sense organs, and the nervous system. Compare visceral.

somatic

views updated May 23 2018

somatic (sŏ-mat-ik) adj.
1. relating to the nonreproductive parts of the body.

2. relating to the body wall (i.e. excluding the viscera). Compare splanchnic.

3. relating to the body rather than the mind.

somatic

views updated May 29 2018

somatic pert. to the body. XVIII. — Gr. sōmatikós, f. sôma, sōmat- body; see -IC.
So somato-, comb. form of Gr. sôma.