forebrain

American  

[fawr-breyn, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌbreɪn, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

Anatomy.

1. Also called prosencephalon.  the anterior of the three primary divisions of the brain in the embryo of a vertebrate, or the part of the adult brain derived from this tissue including the diencephalon and telencephalon.

2. the telencephalon.

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forebrain British  

/ ˈfɔːˌbreɪn /

noun

1. the nontechnical name for prosencephalon

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forebrain Scientific  

/ fôr′brān′ /

1. The forwardmost part of the vertebrate brain. In humans, it consists of the thalamus, the hypothalamus, and the cerebrum.

2. Compare hindbrain midbrain

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Etymology

Origin of forebrain

First recorded in 1875–80; fore- + brain

Example Sentences

The olfactory bulb, located in the forebrain, processes signals from scent receptors in the nose.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

A group of researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine led an investigation that offers new insight into the development of the human forebrain.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2024

The neuron density of its forebrain — the region engaged with planning, sensory processing, and emotional responses, and on which REM sleep is largely dependent — is comparable to that of primates.

From New York Times • Mar. 26, 2024

The researchers used tissue from different brain regions including the cortex, forebrain, and spinal cord, cutting the samples into layers and placing each in a separate dish with molecules that tell the cells to grow.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 9, 2024

There were the cerebral lobes, or largest part of the forebrain, enormously developed and overhanging the cerebellum, or great lobe of the hindbrain, and completely covering the lobes of the midbrain.

From Byways of Ghost-Land by O'Donnell, Elliott