synapse means the junction between the terminal of a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell, over which nerve impulses pass. It carries an Arena rating of 1696, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, synapse ranks #320 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #980 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #1,064 of 17,142 for Most Ingenious Words, #1,464 of 42,747 for Qualifying.
synapse is pronounced /ˈsɪnæps/.
Why “synapse” is a great word
The microscopic cleft where one neuron communicates with another, or with a muscle or gland, by transmitting a chemical or electrical signal. From Ancient Greek σύν (sún, 'together') and ἅπτω (háptō, 'to fasten, to clasp'), coined in 1897 by neurophysiologist Charles Scott Sherrington. Unlike 'synapsis,' which names the precise pairing of chromosomes in reproduction, or a 'gap junction,' which is a direct, seamless conduit, the synapse is a deliberate, perilous divide that must be leapt. It is the flash of neurotransmitter across a fluid void, the molecular whisper, the almost-touch that makes thought and motion possible—the fragile, silent space where all that we are flickers into being.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek σύναψις (súnapsis, “conjunction”), from συνάπτω (sunáptō, “to clasp”). Introduced by neurophysiologist Charles Scott Sherrington.
noun
- The junction between the terminal of a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell, over which nerve impulses pass.
verb
- To form a synapse.
- To undergo synapsis.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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