neurotransmitter

American  

[noor-oh-trans-mit-er, -tranz-, nyoor-] / ˌnʊər oʊˈtræns mɪt ər, -ˈtrænz-, ˌnjʊər- /

noun

1. any of several chemical substances, as epinephrine or acetylcholine, that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse to a postsynaptic element, as another nerve, muscle, or gland.

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neurotransmitter British  

/ ˌnjʊərəʊtrænzˈmɪtə /

noun

1. a chemical by which a nerve cell communicates with another nerve cell or with a muscle

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neurotransmitter Scientific  

/ nr′ō-trănz′mĭt-ər /

1. A chemical substance that is produced and secreted by a neuron and then diffuses across a synapse to cause excitation or inhibition of another neuron. Acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin are examples of neurotransmitters.

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neurotransmitter Cultural  

1. Any one of a number of chemicals that are used to transmit nerve signals across a synapse. They are sprayed from the end of the “upstream” nerve cell and absorbed by receptors in the “downstream” cell.

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Discover More

Drugs like Prozac and alcohol affect the emission and reception of neurotransmitters.

Etymology

Origin of neurotransmitter

First recorded in 1960–65; neuro- + transmitter

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neurotransmitter

By 1970, as a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Snyder had devoted himself to identifying the brain receptor for the neurotransmitter dopamine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Following immersion in 57-degree water, subjects in one study experienced a 530% increase in plasma noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter associated with euphoria and mental clarity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

The researchers emphasize that behavioral flexibility involves a much larger network than a single neurotransmitter or brain cell type.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026

Active synapses typically have both receptor types, which work together to transmit signals using the neurotransmitter glutamate.

From Science Daily ● May 6, 2026

“Which scientists think is the neurotransmitter related to depression...If you have a lack of this chemical in your system, you can start to get depressed.”

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini