asynaptic
|a-syn-ap-tic|
/ˌeɪsɪˈnæptɪk/
not joined; lacking synapse
Etymology
'asynaptic' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'a-' and 'synapsis', where 'a-' meant 'not' and 'synapsis' (from 'synaptein') meant 'to fasten' or 'to join'.
'asynaptic' was formed in scientific English from Greek roots via Neo-Latin/Modern scientific coinage (compare New Latin/Modern formation such as 'asynapticus') and entered modern English usage as the adjective 'asynaptic'.
Initially it meant 'not joined' or 'not having synapsis/synapses', and over time it has retained this technical meaning in fields such as neuroscience and cytogenetics.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not involving or characterized by synapses; lacking synaptic connections (used in neuroscience to describe neurons or regions without synaptic contacts).
The cortical neurons appeared asynaptic during early development.
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Adjective 2
describing chromosomes or chromosomal regions that fail to undergo synapsis (pairing) during meiosis; not synapsed (used in cytogenetics).
The mutant strain exhibited asynaptic chromosomes during meiosis.
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Last updated: 2025/10/29 08:58