the minute space between a nerve cell and another nerve cell, a muscle cell, etc., through which nerve impulses are transmitted from one to the other
Origin of synapse
Modern Latin synapsis: see synapsis
synapse
The definition of a synapse is the junction between two neurons or nerve cells where there is a small gap that neurotransmitters help nerve impulses to cross.
When a neuron releases a neurotransmitter which then binds to receptors located within the plasma membrane of a cell, initiating an electrical response or exciting or inhibiting the neuron, this is an example of a chemical synapse.
YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2018 by LoveToKnow Corp
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"synapse." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE>.
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synapse. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE
synapse
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"synapse." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE>.
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synapse. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE
synapse
noun
The junction across which a nerve impulse passes from an axon terminal to a neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.
intransitive verb
syn·apsed, syn·aps·ing, syn·aps·es- To form a synapse.
- To undergo synapsis.
Origin of synapse
Greek sunapsis point of contact from sunaptein to join together sun- syn- haptein to fasten
synapse
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"synapse." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE>.
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synapse. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE
The small junction across which a nerve impulse passes from one nerve cell to another nerve cell, a muscle cell, or a gland cell. The synapse consists of the synaptic terminal, or presynaptic ending, of a sending neuron, a postsynaptic ending of the receiving cell that contains receptor sites, and the space between them (the synaptic cleft). The synaptic terminal contains neurotransmitters and cell organelles including mitochondria. An electrical impulse in the sending neuron triggers the migration of vesicles containing neurotransmitters toward the membrane of the synaptic terminal. The vesicle membrane fuses with the presynaptic membrane, and the neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft and bind to receptors of the connecting cell where they excite or inhibit electrical impulses.
See also neurotransmitter
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"synapse." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE>.
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synapse. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE
Noun
(plural synapses)
Verb
(third-person singular simple present synapses, present participle synapsing, simple past and past participle synapsed)
Origin
From Ancient Greek σÏναψις (sunapsis, “conjunction"), from συνάπτω (sunaptÅ, “to clasp").
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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"synapse." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE>.
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synapse. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE
synapse - Medical Definition
n.
The junction across which a nerve impulse passes from an axon terminal to a neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.
v.
- To form a synapse.
- To undergo synapsis.
The American Heritage Dictionary of Medicine © 2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"synapse." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE>.
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synapse. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SYNAPSE
Sentence Examples
- The California-based company was formed in 1991 under the name Silicon and Synapse by Mike Morhaime, Frank Pearce and Allen Adham.
- The synapse, therefore, as the place of meeting of one neuron with the next is called, is said to valve the nerve circuits.
- The synapse appears to be a weak spot in the chain of conduction, or rather to be a place which breaks down with comparative ease under stress, e.g.