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neuroscience

American  
[noor-oh-sahy-uhns, nyoor-] / ˌnʊər oʊˈsaɪ əns, ˌnyʊər- /

noun

  1. the field of study encompassing the various scientific disciplines dealing with the structure, development, function, chemistry, pharmacology, and pathology of the nervous system.


neuroscience British  
/ ˈnjʊərəʊˌsaɪəns /

noun

  1. the study of the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology of the nervous system

"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

Other Word Forms

  • neuroscientific adjective
  • neuroscientist noun

Etymology

Origin of neuroscience

First recorded in 1960–65; neuro- + science

Explanation

Neuroscience is the study of the brain and the nervous system. If you're interested in the way human brains work, you might want to study neuroscience. The scientific field of neuroscience started out as a branch of biology, although people have been fascinated with the brain at least since ancient Egyptians studied the effects of drilling small holes in the skull to treat mental disorders. Today neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field, involving chemistry, linguistics, and genetics, among many other disciplines. Neuroscience has roots in the Greek neuro, "nerve," and Latin scientia, "knowledge."

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Vocabulary lists containing neuroscience

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The study followed 20 healthy adults who took part in a 7-day residential retreat led by neuroscience educator and author Joe Dispenza, D.C.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

The deal fits neatly into Lilly’s neuroscience business that already includes Alzheimer’s disease treatment Kisunla and the migraine shot Emgality.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Clare Mackay, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Oxford, said the condition could be very severe and result in people pulling out all of their hair.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

What makes this especially frustrating from a neuroscience perspective is that the gut-brain axis is one of the most pharmacologically sensitive systems in the body.

From Slate • Mar. 22, 2026

He believes that, over time, neuroscience will be able to validate some of the benefits of such an experience.

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