Axon
/ˈæk.sɒn/noun
A long, slender projection of a nerve cell that carries electrical impulses away from the cell body.
Did you know?The anatomical sense of axon was introduced in the 19th century from Ancient Greek ἄξων, linking microscopic nerve anatomy to the ancient image of an axle or rotating shaft.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂eḱs-
“Axle or pivot; the central shaft around which something turns”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄξων (áxōn)
“An axle, axis, or pivot”
Classical Latin
Latin
axis
“Axle, pole, or central line”
19th Century
Scientific English
axon
“A nerve fiber or process projecting from a neuron”
Modern English
English
axon
“The elongated part of a neuron that transmits nerve impulses”