Neurines

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Characterizing the small, slender processes extending from nerve cells that facilitate communication between them
2. Pertaining to the thin, filamentous structures involved in transmitting signals across synapses
3. Relating to the delicate extensions of neurons that play a critical role in the nervous system's functioning

Etymology: "Neurines" is simply the plural of "neurine," a noun for a thin nerve fiber. The singular belongs to a family of scientific terms built on the Greek "neuron," meaning "sinew" or "nerve," which gave English a large set of medical and biological words. Because the term was coined in the modern scientific vocabulary rather than inherited from classical usage, its story is one of deliberate technical naming rather than gradual drift in everyday speech.

Synonyms: choline esters, acetylcholine compounds