cerebrum

American  

[suh-ree-bruhm, ser-uh-] / səˈri brəm, ˈsɛr ə- /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

cerebrums, plural cerebra plural

1. the anterior and largest part of the brain, consisting of two halves or hemispheres and serving to control voluntary movements and coordinate mental actions.

2. the forebrain and the midbrain.

---

cerebrum British  

/ ˈsɛrɪbrəm, ˈsɛrɪbrɪk /

noun

1. the anterior portion of the brain of vertebrates, consisting of two lateral hemispheres joined by a thick band of fibres: the dominant part of the brain in man, associated with intellectual function, emotion, and personality See telencephalon

2. the brain considered as a whole

3. the main neural bundle or ganglion of certain invertebrates

---

cerebrum Scientific  

/ sĕr′ə-brəm,sə-rē′brəm /

cerebrums plural

1. The largest part of the vertebrate brain, filling most of the skull and consisting of two cerebral hemispheres divided by a deep groove and joined by the corpus callosum, a transverse band of nerve fibers. The cerebrum processes complex sensory information and controls voluntary muscle activity. In humans it is the center of thought, learning, memory, language, and emotion.

---

cerebrum Cultural  

1. The largest part of the brain, consisting of two lobes, the right and left cerebral hemispheres. The cerebrum controls thought and voluntary movement. (See cerebral cortex, left brain, and right brain.)

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cerebric
  adjective
• cerebroid
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• cerebra
  plural
• cerebrums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cerebrum

1605–15; < Latin: brain; akin to cranium, horn

Compare meaning

How does cerebrum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cerebrum vs. cerebellum
• cerebrum vs. cerebral cortex

Explanation

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. Your cerebrum makes it possible for you to control your muscles — but also allows you to think, feel, and speak. The brains of vertebrates are composed of a cerebrum, cerebellum, and a brainstem, each of which is vitally important. The cerebrum is what you're thinking of when you picture a brain with its two separate hemispheres. It's here that you form memories and make sense of the world around you, and it's also the cerebrum that lets you control your leg and kick a soccer ball or do a dance move. In Latin, cerebrum means "the brain."

Example Sentences

Even as he maintained a busy schedule, Dr. Rosenberg suffered periods of major depression, which he revealed in a 2002 essay, “Brainsick,” that was published in the magazine Cerebrum and excerpted by the Baltimore Sun.

From Washington Post • Jul. 29, 2022

Every year the Dana Foundation, a charitable organization that supports brain research, assembles an anthology from its online journal Cerebrum to highlight accomplishments in brain science as well as ongoing mysteries.

From Scientific American • Oct. 3, 2014

Figure 13.6 The Cerebrum The cerebrum is a large component of the CNS in humans, and the most obvious aspect of it is the folded surface called the cerebral cortex.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

“Creativity is far from a magical event of unexpected random inspiration,” wrote researchers Charles Limb and Mónica López-González in an article published in the journal Cerebrum last month.

From Time • Mar. 21, 2012

Herrick's Introduction to Neurology, 1918, Chapter XX, on the "Functions of the Cerebrum".

From Psychology A Study Of Mental Life by Woodworth, Robert S.

Related Words

• head
• intellect
• mind