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axon

[C] Countable

pl: axons

This term carries a clinical and precise connotation, used almost exclusively in biological, medical, or neurological contexts. It evokes the image of a biological cable or a transmission line, emphasizing the unidirectional flow of information within the nervous system. While dendrites receive signals, the axon is the active transmitter. The terminology suggests a structural rigidity and a specific purpose of distance, distinguishing the long-range transport of the axon from the local processing occurring in the cell body.

Countable when referring to the individual projections of specific neurons in a histological sample.

Meanings

Noun

[a nerve cell component]

The long threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.

"The myelin sheath insulates the axon, allowing electrical impulses to travel more quickly."

Last Updated: May 31, 2026•Report an Error