ion channel

noun

: a cell membrane channel that is selectively permeable to certain ions (as of calcium or sodium)

Examples of ion channel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a result, more functional ion channel protein gets made than would otherwise happen. — Elie Dolgin, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2023 Never mind that scientists have discovered hundreds of ion channel proteins. — Douglas Fox, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2018 Zhang, of Purdue, studies bioelectrical signaling in zebra fish, which develop striking extra-long tails when a certain ion channel is mutated. — Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026 What the Saitama team found was that touching the trigger hairs sets up an electrical charge using a calcium ion channel called DmMSL10 that is concentrated at the base of the hairs. — New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ion channel

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ion channel was in 1964

Rhymes for ion channel

See All Rhymes for ion channel

Browse Nearby Words

ion chamber
ion channel
ion engine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ion channel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ion%20channel. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

ion channel

noun
: a cell membrane channel that is selectively permeable to certain ions (such as of calcium or sodium)
Researchers now know that not only do all cells, including nerve cells, have ion channels through which substances such as sodium and calcium move in and out, but that particular subtypes of sodium channels govern the transmission of pain.—Judy Foreman, The Los Angeles Times
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All