tau

noun

ˈtau̇

ˈtȯ

: the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet see Alphabet Table

: a short-lived elementary particle of the lepton family that exists in positive and negative charge states and has a mass about 3500 times greater than an electron

called also tau particle

: a protein that binds to and regulates the assembly and stability of neuronal microtubules and that is found in an abnormal form as the major component of neurofibrillary tangles

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Even now, the tau above the site remains at about 2.1, based on observations with MRO. —

Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 21 Aug. 2018 Yet post-mortem autopsies often find none of the amyloid plaques or tau tangles that are hallmarks of the mind-robbing illness. —

Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 23 Dec. 2019 These specific tau proteins are tied directly to Alzheimer’s disease. —

Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 Dec. 2022 SuperAger brains had three times fewer tau tangles, or abnormal formations of protein within nerve cells, than the brains of cognitively healthy controls, the study also found. —

Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 26 Nov. 2022 Plaques and fibrous tangles are formed by the proteins beta-amyloid and tau and are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. —

Gretchen Cuda Kroen, cleveland, 18 Nov. 2022 For example, two toxic substrates flushed during slow-wave sleep include beta Amyloid and tau, protein pieces that occur in greater quantities in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. —

Mackenzie Wagoner, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2022 Another target is the protein tau, which forms tangles in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. —

Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 Biogen is still moving forward with a different drug designed to lower tau. —

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tau.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English taw, from Latin tau, from Greek, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew tāw taw

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of tau was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tau. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

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Kids Definition

tau

noun

ˈtau̇

ˈtȯ

: the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet

—Τ or τ

Medical Definition

tau

noun

ˈtau̇

ˈtȯ

: a protein that binds to and regulates the assembly and stability of neuronal microtubules and that is found in an abnormal form as the major component of neurofibrillary tangles

called also tau protein