synaptic

English

Etymology

From New Latin synapticus, from Ancient Greek συναπτικός (sunaptikós, “capable of adjusting”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æptɪk

Adjective

synaptic (not comparable)

1. (physiology) Of or relating to a synapse—the junction between the terminal of a neuron and another cell.
   • 2020, Avni Doshi, Burnt Sugar, Hamish Hamilton, page 6:

     With a pencil, he highlights areas where synaptic function is declining, where the neurons are dying.

2. (cytology) Of or relating to a synapsis—the association of homologous maternal and paternal chromosomes during the initial part of meiosis.
   • 1913, Frederick McAllister, On the cytology and embryology of Smilacina racemosa:

     By far the greater proportion of cytologists however are of the opinion that the synaptic contraction is a normal stage in the heterotypic prophases.

Derived terms

• desynaptic
• disynaptic
• extrasynaptic
• heterosynaptic
• homosynaptic
• monosynaptic
• multisynaptic
• neurosynaptic
• nonsynaptic
• oligosynaptic
• perisynaptic
• polysynaptic
• postsynaptic
• presynaptic
• subsynaptic
• synaptically
• synaptic cleft
• synaptic conduction
• synaptic gap
• synaptic plasticity
• synaptic vesicle
• transsynaptic
• trisynaptic

 

Translations

junction between the terminal of a neuron and another cell

• Catalan: sinàptic
• Czech: synaptický
• Finnish: synaptinen
• French: synaptique (fr)
• German: synaptische
• Greek: συναπτικός (el) m (synaptikós)
• Italian: sinaptico (it)
• Portuguese: sináptico
• Russian: синаптический (ru) (sinaptičeskij)
• Spanish: sináptico (es)

association of homologous maternal and paternal chromosomes during the initial part of meiosis

• Finnish: synaptinen
• Greek: συναπτικός (el) m (synaptikós)

Further reading

• “synaptic”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.