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temporal lobe

American  

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

  1. the lateral lobe of each cerebral hemisphere, in front of the occipital lobe.

temporal lobe British  

noun

  1. the laterally protruding portion of each cerebral hemisphere, situated below the parietal lobe and associated with sound perception and interpretation: it is thought to be the centre for memory recall

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
temporal lobe Scientific  

  1. The lobe of each cerebral hemisphere lying to the side and rear of the frontal lobe. The temporal lobe controls hearing and some aspects of language perception, emotion, and memory.

Etymology

Origin of temporal lobe

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Temporal lobe epilepsy causes repeated seizures and often interferes with memory and thinking.

From Science Daily • Dec. 25, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.