nerve cell

noun

1

: a grayish or reddish granular cell with specialized processes that is the fundamental functional unit of nervous tissue transmitting and receiving nerve impulses : neuron

2

: cell body

Examples of nerve cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The progression of the cells towards their fates — to become, say, skin cells, muscle cells, or nerve cells — is like the ball rolling downhill through the landscape. — Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026

Deisseroth, a Stanford professor, helped adapt a light-sensitive protein discovered by Hegemann and Nagel into a way to control nerve cells in living mice. — Kostya Manenkov, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Three scientists won the 2026 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine Monday for discoveries that allow researchers to switch on and off nerve cells in the living brain. — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026

For the new sensor to stimulate nerve cells directly, its output must exceed a threshold of approximately 20 millivolts, according to Tabassian. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nerve cell

• bagatelle
• calomel
• caravel
• carousel
• carrousel
• citadel
• clientele
• commonweal
• coronel
• decibel
• demoiselle
• fontanelle

Kids Definition

nerve cell

noun

: neuron

also : cell body

Medical Definition

nerve cell

noun

1

: a grayish or reddish granular cell with specialized processes that is the fundamental functional unit of nervous tissue : neuron

2

: cell body