Synapsed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The term describes a connection between nerve cells that facilitates the transmission of electrical or chemical signals that allow communication in the nervous system
2. It refers to the specialized junction where neurons interact to exchange information through neurotransmitters or electrical impulses
3. The concept pertains to the link formed between neurons, enabling the transfer of signals for effective communication within the nervous system

Etymology: The noun "synapse" comes from the Greek "synapsis," meaning a joining or clasping together, built from "syn-" ("together") and "haptein" ("to fasten"). The English physiologist Charles Sherrington coined it for the junction where one nerve cell meets another, and the verb followed from that noun. The verb also has an older, separate use in genetics. During the cell division that produces sperm and egg cells, matching chromosomes pair up along their length in a process called synapsis, so the chromosomes are said to synapse before they separate.

Synonyms: connected, linked

Antonyms: disconnected, separated