neuron

American  

[noor-on, nyoor-] / ˈnʊər ɒn, ˈnjʊər- /

especially British, neurone

noun

• neurons
  plural

1. Cell Biology. a specialized, impulse-conducting cell that is the functional unit of the nervous system, consisting of the cell body and its processes, the axon and dendrites.

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neuron Scientific  

/ nr′ŏn′ /

1. A cell of the nervous system. Neurons typically consist of a cell body, which contains a nucleus and receives incoming nerve impulses, and an axon, which carries impulses away from the cell body.

2. Also called nerve cell

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• neuronal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• neurons
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of neuron

First recorded in 1880–85, neuron is from the Greek word neûron sinew, cord, nerve

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Explanation

The cells in your nervous system are called neurons. Scientists believe there are approximately 90 billion neurons in your brain. You can also call a neuron a nerve cell, or a cell whose job it is to carry electrochemical messages throughout the nervous system. In the 1880s, neuron was used to mean "the brain and spinal column," or the nervous system itself. Later in the nineteenth century, neuron came to mean "nerve cell with appendages," from the Greek neuro-, "nerve."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neuron neurons

"But this neuron doesn't release NE everywhere. It ignores the cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026

A better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that control neuron production and brain growth could ultimately help researchers study developmental disorders affecting the human brain.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

New neuron formation operates within a larger hippocampal circuit that stores episodic memories along with their emotional significance, and molecular disruptions appeared throughout that system.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

One type, known as astrocytes because of their star-shaped appearance, is especially important for healthy neuron function.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026

At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, researchers, working largely with monkeys, identified a powerful, multifunctional type of neuron in the prefrontal cortex.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Because the two conditions involve some overlapping biological mechanisms, the scientists believed that a drug developed to address nervous system damage after spinal cord injury might also improve certain Alzheimer's-related changes in neurons.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

At the same time, miniature microscopes monitored hundreds of neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region essential for learning and memory.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

These changes interfere with normal brain function and are associated with the progressive loss of neurons, the specialized cells responsible for transmitting information throughout the brain.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

When chlorpyrifos interfered with this cleanup system, damaged material accumulated inside neurons, contributing to their deterioration.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026

“Mirror neurons fire both when one performs an action and when one sees another person performing that action. They allow us to imitate behavior.”

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

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