ganglion

noun

gan·​gli·​on ˈgaŋ-glē-ən How to pronounce ganglion (audio)
plural ganglia ˈgaŋ-glē-ə How to pronounce ganglion (audio) also ganglions
1
: a small cystic tumor connected either with a joint membrane or tendon sheath
2
a
: a mass of nerve tissue containing cell bodies of neurons external to the brain or spinal cord
b
: something likened to a nerve ganglion
a ganglion of cables and wires
ganglionated adjective
ganglionic adjective

Examples of ganglion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The treatment involves injecting an anesthetic into the stellate ganglion — a tangle of nerves in the neck that deliver signals to the head, neck, arms and upper chest. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023 One conceivable problem is that when the light-sensitive ganglion cells begin firing, the brain won't recognize the signals, Wang says. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2016 That's because there is a higher concentration of retinal ganglion cells in the center of their field of vision, making vision sharper and giving such dogs binocular depth vision. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Dec. 2023 Stellate ganglion block is a 10-minute outpatient procedure that doesn’t require patients to be sedated. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023 The technique, known as a stellate ganglion block, has been used for decades to treat all sorts of pain conditions. Hannah Docter-Loeb, Scientific American, 15 Dec. 2023 Some new research from Jefferson Health in Philadelphia suggests that a procedure called stellate ganglion block is somewhat effective at reducing parosmia in patients who didn’t respond to pharmaceutical or topical therapies. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023 According to the Cleveland Clinic, stellate ganglion block (SGB) is an injection of medication into the stellate ganglion, a part of the sympathetic nervous system that is located in the neck, on either side of the voice box. Serena Coady, SELF, 15 Apr. 2022 Each dark band is a ganglion, which would have controlled a single pair of legs. K. N. Smith, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ganglion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin, borrowed from Greek ganglíon "tumor on a tendon, mass of nerve tissue (thought to resemble such tumors)," of obscure origin

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ganglion was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near ganglion

Cite this Entry

“Ganglion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ganglion. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ganglion

noun
gan·​gli·​on ˈgaŋ-glē-ən How to pronounce ganglion (audio)
plural ganglia -glē-ə How to pronounce ganglion (audio) also ganglions
: a mass of nerve tissue lying outside the brain or spinal cord and containing neurons
ganglionic adjective

Medical Definition

ganglion

noun
gan·​gli·​on ˈgaŋ-glē-ən How to pronounce ganglion (audio)
plural ganglia -glē-ə How to pronounce ganglion (audio) also ganglions
1
: a small cystic tumor (as on the back of the wrist) containing viscid fluid and connected either with a joint membrane or tendon sheath
2
a
: a mass of nerve tissue containing cell bodies of neurons that is located outside the central nervous system and forms an enlargement upon a nerve or upon two or more nerves at their point of junction or separation
b
: a mass of gray matter within the brain or spinal cord : nucleus sense 2 see basal ganglion

More from Merriam-Webster on ganglion

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