cholinergic
Americanadjective
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resembling acetylcholine in pharmacological action.
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stimulated by or releasing acetylcholine or a related compound.
adjective
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denoting nerve fibres that release acetylcholine when stimulated
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of or relating to the type of chemical activity associated with acetylcholine and similar substances
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Relating to a neuron or axon that is activated by or is capable of releasing acetylcholine when a nerve impulse passes. The nerve endings of the parasympathetic nervous system are cholinergic.
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Having physiological effects similar to those of acetylcholine, as certain drugs.
Etymology
Origin of cholinergic
First recorded in 1930–35; (acetyl)choline + -ergic
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To observe brain changes, researchers used a specialized PET scan and tracer that makes cholinergic reserves visible, allowing them to measure activity before and after the training period.
From Science Daily • Oct. 29, 2025
Thorne was diagnosed autistic as an adult and lived with an intense skin condition called cholinergic urticaria in his 20s, meaning he was allergic to heat and his own body movements.
From BBC • May 27, 2025
In this study, the researchers observed differences in beta-amyloid accumulation in male and female mice when changing the levels of cholinergic activity.
From Science Daily • Oct. 17, 2023
Last year, a study published in the Lancet journal eBioMedicine offered compelling evidence that a cholinergic enzyme in living infants could be a biomarker, and indicate a newborn's risk of SIDS.
From Salon • May 25, 2023
Having understood the cholinergic and adrenergic systems, their role in the autonomic system is relatively simple to understand.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
