neuroscience

Etymology

It is formed from English neuro- + science.^[2][3][4][5] The combining form neuro- goes back to Ancient Greek νευρο- (neuro-), the combining form of νεῦρον (neûron, “sinew, tendon, nerve”),^[2][6] which is cognate with Latin nervus (“nerve”),^[2] the source of nerve.^[3] science comes through Old French science from Latin scientia (“knowledge”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Any of the sciences that deal with the structure or working of the nervous system, or these sciences taken together: the OED's first record is from 1944, in the Austin (Texas) Statesman.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The combining form neuro- appeared in English first in words taken from Greek in the 17th century, such as neurology.^[2] Etymonline and Merriam-Webster date it to 1963 and Dictionary.com to 1960–65,^[3][4][5] but the revised OED entry (2003) has a record from 1944.^[2] Merriam-Webster's definition stresses the study of nerves and nervous tissue in relation to behaviour and learning,^[4] while Collins lists anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology as its branches.^[7] The agent noun neuroscientist is recorded from 1964.^[2]

Timeline

• 1944 – first record, in a Texas newspaper.^[2]
• 1963 – first date given by Etymonline and Merriam-Webster.^[3][4]
• 1964 – neuroscientist, a specialist in the field.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. The scientific study of the nervous system, including its anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology: She switched from chemistry to neuroscience in her second year.^[7][4][2]
2. Any one of the sciences, such as neuroanatomy or neurophysiology, that deal with the nervous system.^[2][8]

Word family

• neuroscientific
• neuroscientist

Related words

• neuroimaging
• neurosurgery
• neuron
• nerve
• neurology
• science
• neural

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
6. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
7. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
8. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin