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ganglion

[ gang-glee-uhn ]
/ ˈgæŋ gli ən /
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noun, plural gan·gli·a [gang-glee-uh], /ˈgæŋ gli ə/, gan·gli·ons.
Anatomy.
  1. a mass of nerve tissue existing outside the central nervous system.
  2. any of certain masses of gray matter in the brain, as the basal ganglia.
Pathology. a cyst or enlargement in connection with the sheath of a tendon, usually at the wrist.
a center of intellectual or industrial force, activity, etc.
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Origin of ganglion

1675–85; <Late Latin: a type of swelling <Greek gánglion a tumor under the skin, on or near a tendon

OTHER WORDS FROM ganglion

gan·gli·al, gan·gli·ar, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to ganglion

command post, focal point, headquarters, hotbed, heart, control center, core, epicenter, focus, hub, switchboard, vital principle

How to use ganglion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ganglion

ganglion
/ (ˈɡæŋɡlɪən) /
noun plural -glia (-ɡlɪə) or -glions
an encapsulated collection of nerve-cell bodies, usually located outside the brain and spinal cord
any concentration of energy, activity, or strength
a cystic tumour on a tendon sheath or joint capsule

Derived forms of ganglion

ganglial or gangliar, adjectiveganglionic or gangliated, adjective

Word Origin for ganglion

C17: from Late Latin: swelling, from Greek: cystic tumour
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for ganglion

ganglion
[ găng′glē-ən ]
Plural ganglia
A compact group of neurons enclosed by connective tissue and having a specific function. In invertebrate animals, pairs of ganglia occur at intervals along the axis of the body, with the forwardmost pair functioning like a brain. In vertebrates, ganglia are usually located outside the brain or spinal cord, where they regulate the functioning of the body's organs and glands as part of the autonomic nervous system.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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