What does ganglion mean?
A ganglion is a swelling or lump, especially a benign cyst that commonly develops near a joint or along a tendon sheath. In anatomy, however, a ganglion is a group of nerve cell bodies that acts as a relay or processing center in the peripheral nervous system. The term can also be used figuratively for a concentration of activity, influence, or control, as in a political or organizational ganglion. The anatomical plural is ganglia, and several important structures use this form, including the basal ganglia and dorsal root ganglia. In everyday medical usage, people often say ganglion cyst when referring to the benign hand or wrist swelling, although other sites are possible. Ganglion is therefore both a familiar term for a minor soft-tissue condition and a precise anatomical term for a fundamental unit of the nervous system.
nounA ganglion is a swelling or lump, especially a benign one near a tendon sheath or joint; in anatomy, the term also denotes a bundle of nerve cell bodies that functions as a processing center.
- A swelling or lump, especially a benign cyst occurring near a joint or along a tendon sheath.
- A bundle or group of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system, which communicates with the brain and spinal cord.
- A figurative center or concentration of activity, power, or control.
"The doctor diagnosed a small ganglion cyst in her wrist."
"A ganglion cyst near the wrist can sometimes disappear without treatment."
"The dorsal root ganglion contains the cell bodies of sensory neurons."
Ganglia is the standard plural in anatomical usage, as in dorsal root ganglia. Ganglions is also used, especially for multiple benign swellings.
"The dorsal root ganglia contain the cell bodies of sensory neurons."
A ganglion can be a body's tiny nerve hub or, in everyday medicine, the name for a benign cyst—two very different uses for one compact word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of ganglion
The English word was borrowed through Latin from Greek γάγγλιον (ganglion), meaning a swelling or lump. The Greek term was adapted in medical writing for a bodily swelling and, later, for a collection of nerve cells. Modern derivatives include the adjective ganglionic and tumor terms such as ganglioma and ganglioneuroma.
Related word forms
How ganglion is actually used
The word is most common in medical contexts. Its anatomical sense is technical, while the figurative sense, as in a 'ganglion of activity,' is established but usually somewhat formal or metaphorical.