cerebral
Americanadjective
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Anatomy, Zoology. of or relating to the cerebrum or the brain.
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betraying or characterized by the use of the intellect rather than intuition or instinct.
His is a cerebral music that leaves many people cold.
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Phonetics. retroflex.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to the cerebrum or to the entire brain
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involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct
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phonetics another word for cacuminal
noun
Discover More
The term is also used figuratively to describe things that appeal to the intellect.
Other Word Forms
- cerebrally adverb
- intercerebral adjective
- noncerebral adjective
- overcerebral adjective
- postcerebral adjective
- precerebral adjective
- subcerebral adjective
- supercerebral adjective
- supercerebrally adverb
Etymology
Origin of cerebral
From the New Latin word cerebrālis, dating back to 1795–1805. See cerebrum, -al 1
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.
The girl has severe cerebral palsy, is unable to walk or talk, has severe visual impairment and epilepsy, and requires continuous 24-hour care.
From BBC
That is, unless a handful of strangers join him right now, right this moment, to fight for humanity’s cerebral freedom.
From Los Angeles Times
Carers, parents and other young people with conditions like cerebral palsy and Down's syndrome are also welcome.
From BBC
Up to this point it’s all felt like a cerebral exercise.
From Literature
The cerebral cortex consists of six layers that work together to form highly intricate neural circuits.
From Science Daily
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.
