What does neurone mean?
A neurone is a specialized nerve cell and a fundamental unit of the nervous system. It receives information from other neurones or from sensory receptors, processes it, and passes signals onward through electrical activity and chemical neurotransmitters released at synapses. Different neurones perform distinct roles: sensory neurones carry information from the body or environment toward the central nervous system, while motor neurones carry commands from the central nervous system to muscles. The word is standard in British English; American English normally uses the spelling neuron. Although commonly used in scientific and medical contexts, neurone is also familiar to general audiences through discussions of the brain, learning, and neurological disease. The spelling emphasizes that a neurone is a cell, not the whole nerve of which it forms a part.
nounA neurone is one of the specialized cells that make up the nervous system, receiving signals and transmitting them through electrical and chemical processes. In British English, it is the standard spelling; the spelling neuron is standard in American English.
- A specialized cell that forms part of the nervous system and communicates signals through electrical activity and chemical transmission.
"The message travels from one neurone to the next through a specialized junction called a synapse."
"Damage to the motor neurones can prevent muscles from receiving instructions from the nervous system."
"The researcher used a fluorescent marker to observe how each neurone responds to touch."
The standard plural in British English is neurones; American usage normally has neurons.
"These neurones are specialized to detect changes in temperature."
A single neurone can be tiny, yet its electrochemical signals can help coordinate movement, sensation, memory, and thought.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does neurone come from?
The word derives from Greek neuron, meaning “nerve” or “nerve fibre,” with the combining form neuro- developing from the same Greek root. The British form neurone became established alongside the scientific vocabulary of neuroscience during the modern period. Its cognates include neural, neurology, neurosis, and neuroma, all of which preserve the Greek association with nerves or the nervous system.
Related word forms
How neurone is actually used
In British English, neurone is the conventional spelling. American English generally uses neuron, although neurone is also understood. In technical writing, neurone is more common when emphasizing that the structure is a cell rather than a nerve or nerve fibre.
Easily confused with neurone
Neurone and neuron refer to the same biological cell, but neurone is the usual British spelling while neuron is the usual American spelling.