dendrite
nounUK /ˈdɛndɹaɪt/
Etymology From Ancient Greek δενδρίτης (dendrítēs, “of or pertaining to a tree”). Equivalent to dendr- + -ite.
1
Biology, Cytology, Medicine, Natural sciences, Sciences A slender projection of a nerve cell which conducts nerve impulses from a synapse to the body of the cell; a dendron.
- Little copses of television antennas. Whiplike, graceful thrilling metal dendrites drawing images from the air, bringing brotherhood, communion to immured apartment people.1970, Saul Bellow, Mr. Sammler’s Planet, Greenwich, CT: Fawcett, 1971, Chapter 1, pp. 12–13 (online edition)
- A typical brain neuron has perhaps a thousand little wires, called dendrites, which connect it with its fellows.1979, Carl Sagan, “Can We Know the Universe? Reflections on a Grain of Salt”, in John Carey, editor, Eyewitness to Science, Harvard University Press, published 1997, page 437:
3
Chemistry, Crystallography, Engineering, Metallurgy, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Tree-like structure of crystals growing as material crystallizes
4
Historical A hermit who lived in a tree.
- Derived terms
- apical dendrite, cytodendrite, dendritic, dendritogenesis, multidendrite, oblique dendrite, somatodendrite