cephalization

American  

[sef-uh-luh-zey-shuhn] / ˌsɛf ə ləˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

Zoology.

1. a tendency in the development of animals to localization of important organs or parts in or near the head.

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cephalization British  

/ ˌsɛfəlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. (in the evolution of animals) development of a head by the concentration of feeding and sensory organs and nervous tissue at the anterior end

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Etymology

Origin of cephalization

First recorded in 1860–65; cephal- + -ization

Example Sentences

This is somewhat surprising considering that tapeworms possess a well-developed nervous system, albeit with reduced sensory input and cephalization.

From Nature

Cephalization probably happened several times, and in different ways, in different groups of animals.

From Scientific American

The next major chapter in the brain’s evolutionary history was a process known as cephalization, in which neurons cluster at one end of an animal, eventually becoming a brain linked to important sensory organs like eyes.

From Scientific American

The anterior end of body always shows some “cephalization.”

From Project Gutenberg

Cephalization: concentration toward the head.

From Project Gutenberg