synapsis
Americannoun
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synapses
plural
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Also called syndesis. Cell Biology. the pairing of homologous chromosomes, one from each parent, during early meiosis.
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Physiology. synapse.
noun
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cytology the association in pairs of homologous chromosomes at the start of meiosis
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another word for synapse
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of synapsis
1645–55; < New Latin < Greek sýnapsis “junction,” equivalent to synap- (stem of synáptein “to make contact,” equivalent to syn- syn- + (h)áptein “to touch”) + -sis -sis
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.
See Examples For:
This photocurrent mimics the responses transmitted by synapsis in the human brain, enabling the device to interpret and process biological information received from optical sensors.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 11, 2024
To maintain point-for-point synapsis during meiosis, one homolog must form a loop, and the other homolog must mold around it.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
In synapsis, the genes on the chromatids of the homologous chromosomes are aligned precisely with each other.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
They suggest genetic experiments that might shed light on the evolution of synapsis.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
Possibly his experience with the bounty hunter Phil Resch had altered some minute synapsis in him, had closed one neurological switch and opened another.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Systems that use biological material that forms connections much as synapses do in the human brain, which could bring large energy savings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
Which means you have to find your emotional connection, and that’s likely going to generate from whatever synapses are firing up in the memory bank.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
They found that mice given plasmalogens had more synapses, and those synapses appeared to be in better condition than those in untreated aged mice.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
The findings suggest that increasing dietary plasmalogens may help protect synapses from some forms of age-related deterioration.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
Crippled muscles withered further, synapses wouldn't fire, wasted legs refused to ambulate.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
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