neuron

noun

neu·​ron ˈnü-ˌrän How to pronounce neuron (audio) ˈnyü- How to pronounce neuron (audio) ˈnu̇r-ˌän How to pronounce neuron (audio)
ˈnyu̇r-
: a grayish or reddish granular cell that is the fundamental functional unit of nervous tissue transmitting and receiving nerve impulses and having cytoplasmic processes which are highly differentiated frequently as multiple dendrites or usually as solitary axons which conduct impulses to and away from the cell body : nerve cell sense 1
neuronal adjective
or less commonly neuronic

Illustration of neuron

Illustration of neuron
  • 1 cell body
  • 2 dendrite
  • 3 axon
  • 4 nerve ending

Examples of neuron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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And active neurons secrete a substance that acts like fuel to accelerate tumor growth. Jon Hamilton, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025 Then, in the developing embryo, cells form three primary layers — ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm — which, over time, become skin, neurons, heart, gut, and so on. Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025 Similarly, in the parakeet AAC, neurons fire in accordance with the tone and type of sound a bird makes, says Long. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2025 And that the bio-computer has in vitro living neurons and in silico artificial neurons. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for neuron

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Neuron, borrowed from Greek neûron "sinew, tendon, nerve" — more at nerve entry 1

Note: Term introduced by the German anatomist Heinrich Wilhelm Waldeyer (Heinrich Wilhelm Gottfried von Waldeyer-Hartz, 1836-1921) in "Ueber einige neuere Forschungen im Gebiete der Anatomie der Centralnervensystems," Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 28. Jahrgang, no. 28, July 13, 1891, p. 691: "Somit besteht ein Nervenelement (eine 'Nerveneinheit' oder 'Neuron', wie ich es zu nennen vorschlagen möchte), den genannten Forschungsergebnissen … zufolge, aus nachstehenden Stücken: a) einer Nervenzelle, b) dem Nervenfortsatze, c) dessen Collateralen und d) dem Endbäumchen." — "Therefore, in accordance with the cited research results, a nerve element (a 'nerve unit' or 'neuron,' as I would like to suggest as a name), consists of the following parts: a) a nerve cell, b) the nerve process [= axon], c) its collaterals and d) the end tree [= axon terminals]." Waldeyer apparently intended -on to be taken as a suffix, indicating a unit, rather than the Greek neuter singular inflectional ending, as he utilized Neuronen as the plural in the same article. Cf. French neurone and the English variant neurone.

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of neuron was in 1891

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Cite this Entry

“Neuron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neuron. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

neuron

noun
: a grayish or reddish cell that is the basic working unit of the nervous system and has an axon and dendrites that carry nerve impulses

Medical Definition

neuron

noun
variants also neurone
: one of the cells that constitute nervous tissue, that have the property of transmitting and receiving nerve impulses, and that are composed of somewhat reddish or grayish protoplasm with a large nucleus containing a conspicuous nucleolus, irregular cytoplasmic granules, and cytoplasmic processes which are highly differentiated frequently as multiple dendrites or usually as solitary axons and which conduct impulses toward and away from the cell body : nerve cell sense 1

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