Illustration of neuron
- 1 cell body
- 2 dendrite
- 3 axon
- 4 nerve ending
: a grayish or reddish granular cell that is the fundamental functional unit of nervous tissue transmitting and receiving nerve impulses and having cytoplasmic processes which are highly differentiated frequently as multiple dendrites or usually as solitary axons which conduct impulses to and away from the cell body : nerve cell sense 1
Examples of neuron in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
TurboSparse boosts efficiency by activating only the required neurons without reducing model intelligence.
—
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
Because optogenetic implants require genetic modification of neurons to work, they are not yet approved for human use.
—New Atlas, 29 Dec. 2025
The authors think that activating specific neurons can help address the root causes of specific illnesses.
—Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Dec. 2025
How does the activity of tens of billions of neurons create your experience of the world?
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neuron
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
Because optogenetic implants require genetic modification of neurons to work, they are not yet approved for human use.
—New Atlas, 29 Dec. 2025
The authors think that activating specific neurons can help address the root causes of specific illnesses.
—Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Dec. 2025
How does the activity of tens of billions of neurons create your experience of the world?
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neuron
Cite this Entry
“Neuron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neuron. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
neuron
noun
neu·ron
ˈn(y)ü-ˌrän 
ˈn(y)u̇(ə)r- ˌän
ˈn(y)u̇(ə)r- ˌän
: a grayish or reddish cell that is the basic working unit of the nervous system and has an axon and dendrites that carry nerve impulses
Medical Definition
neuron
noun
neu·ron
ˈn(y)ü-ˌrän
ˈn(y)u̇(ə)r-ˌän
ˈn(y)u̇(ə)r-ˌän
variants
also neurone
: one of the cells that constitute nervous tissue, that have the property of transmitting and receiving nerve impulses, and that are composed of somewhat reddish or grayish protoplasm with a large nucleus containing a conspicuous nucleolus, irregular cytoplasmic granules, and cytoplasmic processes which are highly differentiated frequently as multiple dendrites or usually as solitary axons and which conduct impulses toward and away from the cell body : nerve cell sense 1
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share