Definition

A chemical compound that is a salt or ester of glutamic acid, often acting as a neurotransmitter in the brain.

Example

Glutamate plays a key role in sending signals in the brain and is important for learning and memory.

Conversation

Have you heard about glutamate and its role in the brain?

Yeah, I read that it's an important neurotransmitter.

Exactly! It's fascinating how it helps with communication between neurons.

For sure, it's amazing how much our brain relies on glutamate.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Glutamate is derived from "glutamic" (from the Greek "glutamos", meaning a type of protein or amino acid) and "-ate" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote a salt or ester of an acid). The word refers to the salt or ester form of glutamic acid, which is an important amino acid in biochemistry.

Memory Tip

Think of 'glutamic' as relating to a specific type of amino acid, and '-ate' indicating a chemical compound. This helps you remember that glutamate is a compound derived from glutamic acid.

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