synapse

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

The junction between the terminal of a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell, over which nerve impulses pass.

verb

To form a synapse.
To undergo synapsis.

Pronunciation

/ˈsɪnæps/ /ˈsaɪnæps/ /sɪˈnæps/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-synapse.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-synapse2.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-synapse3.wav

Word forms

synapse synapses synapsing synapsed

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek σύναψις (súnapsis, “conjunction”), from συνάπτω (sunáptō, “to clasp”). Introduced by neurophysiologist Charles Scott Sherrington.

Related words

Derived words

antisynapse chemosynapse glycosynapse hemisynapse immunosynapse monosynapse multisynapse neosynapse neurosynapse postsynapse presynapse protosynapse supersynapse synapsin unsynapsed

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

Back to search All on S Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary