English
synaptic
Synaptic comes from New Latin synapticus, from Ancient Greek συναπτικός ‘capable of adjusting’, and ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *áptō.
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*áptōreconstructedearlier origin unknown
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἅπτω‘to join’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυνάπτω‘to connect’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυναπτικόςsunaptikós‘capable of adjusting’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900synapticus
- Englishearliest quotation 1913synaptic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*áptōreconstructedearlier origin unknown
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἅπτω‘to join’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυνάπτω‘to connect’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυναπτικόςsunaptikós‘capable of adjusting’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900synapticus
- Englishearliest quotation 1913synaptic
Earliest quotation: 1913, Frederick McAllister: “By far the greater proportion of cytologists however are…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek ἅπτω ‘to join’
Today it means
adj Of or relating to a synapse—the junction between the terminal of a neuron and another cell.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *áptō / synaptic