dopamine

noun

do·​pa·​mine ˈdō-pə-ˌmēn 

: a monoamine C₈H₁₁NO₂ that is a decarboxylated form of dopa and that occurs especially as a neurotransmitter in the brain

Examples of dopamine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Parkinson’s is a progressive brain disorder that affects movement, primarily due to the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. —Todd Weissman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026

When people refresh social media feeds or win a round of a video game, their brains get dopamine jolts that train them to seek that hit again and again. —Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026

This finding matches with prior research, carried out in lab mice and rats, which has found that long-term methylphenidate treatment in juvenile animals normalizes some abnormalities in dopamine-rich brain regions. —David Cox, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026

The latter may be tied to iron deficiency from irregular periods, plus the drop in estrogen, which messes with the dopamine activity that regulates muscle control. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

dopa + amine

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dopamine

• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene
• caesarean

Medical Definition

dopamine

noun

do·​pa·​mine ˈdō-pə-ˌmēn 

: a monoamine C₈H₁₁NO₂ that is a decarboxylated form of dopa and occurs especially as a neurotransmitter in the brain and as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of epinephrine see intropin