- of or relating to a synapse
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
synaptic /sɪˈnæptɪk/, synaptical adj
syn•apse /ˈsɪnæps, sɪˈnæps/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Cell Biology
- a region where nerve impulses are transmitted across a small gap from the end of one nerve cell to another nerve cell, or to a muscle.
- Also called synˈap•tic ˈgap. the gap itself.
syn•apse
(sin′aps, si naps′),USA pronunciation n., v., -apsed, -aps•ing. [Physiol.]
n.
v.i.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026n.
- Cell Biologya region where nerve impulses are transmitted and received, encompassing the axon terminal of a neuron that releases neurotransmitters in response to an impulse, an extremely small gap across which the neurotransmitters travel, and the adjacent membrane of an axon, dendrite, or muscle or gland cell with the appropriate receptor molecules for picking up the neurotransmitters.
v.i.
- Cell Biologyto form a synapse or a synapsis.
- back formation from synapses, plural of synapsis 1895–1900
syn•ap•sis
(si nap′sis),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ses (-sēz).USA pronunciation
syn•ap•tic
(si nap′tik),USA pronunciation syn•ap′ti•cal, adj.
syn•ap′ti•cal•ly, adv.
- Cell BiologyAlso called syndesis. the pairing of homologous chromosomes, one from each parent, during early meiosis.
- Cell Biology[Physiol.]synapse.
- Greek sýnapsis junction, equivalent. to synap- (stem of synáptein to make contact, equivalent. to syn- syn- + (h)áptein to touch) + -sis -sis
- Neo-Latin
- 1645–55;
'synaptic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):