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

See Examples For:

forebrain

The striatum sits deep in the forebrain and plays a role in movement planning, decision-making, motivation, reinforcement, and how the brain responds to rewards.

From Science Daily ● May 10, 2026

This technical advance allowed them to identify previously unseen pathways connecting the brainstem, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and cerebral cortex.

From Science Daily ● May 1, 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

In this week’s issue of Cell, a research team in Europe reports using fetal brain tissue to grow 3D structures that resemble those that naturally occur in the cortex, forebrain, or spinal cord.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 10, 2024

The cerebrum, or cerebral lobes, or simply "forebrain," the seat of consciousness, thought, and will, and from which no nerves proceed.

From The Whence and the Whither of Man A Brief History of His Origin and Development through Conformity to Environment; Being the Morse Lectures of 1895 by John Mason Tyler