dendrite

[ den-drahyt ]

noun

1. Petrology, Mineralogy.
   1. a branching figure or marking, resembling moss or a shrub or tree in form, found on or in certain stones or minerals due to the presence of a foreign material.
   2. any arborescent crystalline growth.
2. Anatomy. the branching process of a neuron that conducts impulses toward the cell.

dendrite

/ ˈdɛndraɪt; dɛnˈdrɪtɪk /

noun

1. Also calleddendron any of the short branched threadlike extensions of a nerve cell, which conduct impulses towards the cell body
2. a branching mosslike crystalline structure in some rocks and minerals
3. a crystal that has branched during growth and has a treelike form

dendrite

/ dĕn′drīt′ /

1. Any of several parts branching from the body of a neuron that receive and transmit nerve impulses.
2. A mineral that has a branching crystal pattern. Dendrites often form within or on the surface of other minerals and often consist of manganese oxides.

Derived Forms

• denˈdritically, adverb
• dendritic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dendrite¹

1720–30; < Greek dendrī́tēs pertaining to a tree, equivalent to dendr- dendr- + -ītēs -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of dendrite¹

C18: from Greek dendritēs relating to a tree

Example Sentences

Importantly, it was able to reveal the features where many synapses dwell: the spines that protrude along the vine-like processes, or dendrites, that grow out of the neuron cell body.

From Science Daily

From the ceiling hung a twisted glass chandelier by Eric Dunn, its spiked lampshades mimicking the tendrils of a brain’s dendrites.

From Los Angeles Times

The team leveraged a method, dubbed TurboID, to discover an entire suite of previously unknown factors in memory formation, revealing now mechanisms that underlie how protein synthesis in dendrites contributes to learning and memory.

From Science Daily

In their latest work, published in Advanced Materials, they've triumphed over a major challenge -- the growth of disruptive dendrites, which are spiky metallic formations that can lead to short circuits and other serious faults.

From Science Daily

Dendritic spines protrude from dendrites, a component of neurons, and receive synaptic signals that are critical in learning and memory.

From Science Daily