synapse

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/ˈsɪnæps//ˈsaɪnæps//sɪˈnæps/

noun

The junction between the terminal of a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell, over which nerve impulses pass.

OriginAncient Greek σύναψις →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nounsynapse (plural synapses)

plural synapses

  1. The junction between the terminal of a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell, over which nerve impulses pass.
verbsynapse (third-person singular simple present synapses, present participle synapsing, simple past and past participle synapsed)

present singular third person synapses · participle present synapsing · participle past synapsed · past synapsed

  1. intransitiveTo form a synapse.
  2. intransitiveTo undergo synapsis.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
contiguity

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekσύναψις“conjunction”
  2. Englishsynapse

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek σύναψις (súnapsis, “conjunction”), from συνάπτω (sunáptō, “to clasp”). Introduced by neurophysiologist Charles Scott Sherrington.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مشبك
  • مشبكjunction between neurons
Bulgarian синапс
  • синапс (sinaps)junction between neurons
Catalan sinapsi
  • sinapsijunction between neurons
Chinese Mandarin 突觸 /突触
  • 突觸 /突触 (tūchù)junction between neurons
Czech synapse
  • synapsejunction between neurons
Danish synapse
  • synapsejunction between neurons
Dutch synaps
  • synapsjunction between neurons
Finnish synapsi, hermoliitos
  • synapsijunction between neurons
  • hermoliitosjunction between neurons
French synapse
  • synapsejunction between neurons
German Synapse
  • Synapsejunction between neurons
Greek σύναψη
  • σύναψη (sýnapsi)junction between neurons
Hebrew סינפסה, מִסְנָף
  • סינפסה (sinapsa)junction between neurons
  • מִסְנָף (misnaf)junction between neurons
  • מצמד (mitsmād)junction between neurons
Hungarian átkapcsolódik, átkapcsol
  • átkapcsolódikforming a synapse
  • átkapcsolforming a synapse
Indonesian sinapsis
  • sinapsisjunction between neurons
Italian sinapsi
  • sinapsijunction between neurons
Japanese シナプス
  • シナプス (shinapusu)junction between neurons
Malay sinaps
  • sinapsjunction between neurons
Persian سیناپس, همایه
  • سیناپس (sinâps)junction between neurons
  • همایه (hamâye)junction between neurons
Polish synapsa, tworzyć synapsę
  • synapsajunction between neurons
  • tworzyć synapsęforming a synapse
  • stworzyć synapsęforming a synapse
Portuguese sinapse
  • sinapsejunction between neurons
Romanian sinapsă
  • sinapsăjunction between neurons
Russian си́напс
  • си́напс (sínaps)junction between neurons
Slovak synapsia
  • synapsiajunction between neurons
Spanish sinapsis
  • sinapsisjunction between neurons
Swahili sinapsi
  • sinapsijunction between neurons
Swedish synaps
  • synapsjunction between neurons
Turkish sinaps
  • sinapsjunction between neurons
Ukrainian си́напс
  • си́напс (sýnaps)junction between neurons
Vietnamese xináp
  • xinápjunction between neurons

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with synapse

perhapscapsappscollapsetrapstapslapseflapsrelapsechapsslapsschnappselapseapseillapse
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

synapse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/synapse

MLA

“synapse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/synapse. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “synapse,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/synapse.

Source: synapse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.