neurotransmitter

American  

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

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

One of the most surprising discoveries involved D-serine, an amino acid that also functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain.

From Science Daily • May 24, 2026

Serotonin is widely recognized as a neurotransmitter in the brain that influences mood.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

Those nerve fibers release norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that binds to the fibroblasts and causes a spike in calcium levels inside the cells.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026

Actually winning releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with stabilized mood and feelings of calmness.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

There the electrical impulse is converted into a chemical neurotransmitter to float across the synapse to the next neuron.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman