synapse
1 of 2noun
syn·apse ˈsi-ˌnaps 
sə-ˈnaps
: the point at which a nervous impulse passes from one neuron to another
synapse
2 of 2verb
synapsed; synapsing
intransitive verb
1
: to form a synapse
2
: to come together in synapsis
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Gabriel A. Silva, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 The chemicals assault receptors in an insect’s nerve synapse, causing uncontrollable shaking, paralysis, and death. Oliver Milman, Wired, 12 Mar. 2022 The quick-witted rapper’s wordplay keeps listeners at the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the elation of that next unexpected synapse. Nora Lee, Billboard, 16 June 2022 Daydreaming ignites neural synapse activity in deeper regions of the brain and gives the frontal neo-cortex a break. Natalie Nixon, Forbes, 16 May 2022 The researchers imaged the pallium before and after the fish learned, and analyzed the changes in synapse strength and location. Quanta Magazine, 3 Mar. 2022 But artificial intelligence researchers typically have to train artificial neural networks on hundreds or thousands of examples of a pattern or concept before the synapse strengths adjust enough for the network to learn the pattern. Quanta Magazine, 7 July 2021 Most drugs for neurodevelopmental disorders act at the level of the synapse by changing neurotransmitters, Davis explained. Katie Palmer, STAT, 5 Aug. 2021 Once tau pathology is clearly established, however, microglia may drive synapse loss and the death of neurons. Jason Ulrich, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2021 Kelly Servick, Science | AAAS, 16 Mar. 2020 See More
Noun
In fact, as introduced above, what happens at the synapse is not electrical at all. Gabriel A. Silva, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 The chemicals assault receptors in an insect’s nerve synapse, causing uncontrollable shaking, paralysis, and death. Oliver Milman, Wired, 12 Mar. 2022 The quick-witted rapper’s wordplay keeps listeners at the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the elation of that next unexpected synapse. Nora Lee, Billboard, 16 June 2022 Daydreaming ignites neural synapse activity in deeper regions of the brain and gives the frontal neo-cortex a break. Natalie Nixon, Forbes, 16 May 2022 The researchers imaged the pallium before and after the fish learned, and analyzed the changes in synapse strength and location. Quanta Magazine, 3 Mar. 2022 But artificial intelligence researchers typically have to train artificial neural networks on hundreds or thousands of examples of a pattern or concept before the synapse strengths adjust enough for the network to learn the pattern. Quanta Magazine, 7 July 2021 Most drugs for neurodevelopmental disorders act at the level of the synapse by changing neurotransmitters, Davis explained. Katie Palmer, STAT, 5 Aug. 2021 Once tau pathology is clearly established, however, microglia may drive synapse loss and the death of neurons. Jason Ulrich, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2021 Verb
His University of Pavia lab studies synapse formation as well as collagen production and its possible implications in cancer metastasis. Kelly Servick, Science | AAAS, 16 Mar. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
New Latin synapsis, from Greek, juncture, from synaptein to fasten together, from syn- + haptein to fasten
First Known Use
Noun
1899, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
synapse
noun
syn·apse ˈsi-ˌnaps
: the point at which a nerve impulse passes from one nerve cell to another
Medical Definition
synapse 1 of 2
noun
syn·apse
ˈsin-ˌaps also sə-ˈnaps, chiefly British ˈsī-ˌnaps
1
: the place at which a nerve impulse passes from one neuron to another
2
: synapsis
synapse
2 of 2intransitive verb
synapsed; synapsing
: to form a synapse or come together in synapsis