frontal lobe

American

noun

Anatomy.

the anterior part of each cerebral hemisphere, in front of the central sulcus.

frontal lobe British

noun

anatomy the anterior portion of each cerebral hemisphere, situated in front of the central sulcus

"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

frontal lobe Scientific

/ frŭn′tl /

The largest and forwardmost lobe of each cerebral hemisphere, responsible for the control of skilled motor activity, including speech. Mood and the ability to think are also controlled by the frontal lobe.

Etymology

Origin of frontal lobe

First recorded in 1875–80

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.

See Examples For:

frontal lobe

Scroll through TikTok or Instagram and you will likely see the familiar line: “Your frontal lobe isn’t fully developed yet.”

From Science Daily ● Feb. 19, 2026

“I think there’s something to be said for frontal lobe development,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2026

In typical cases, the exposure damages the brain’s frontal lobe, which slows cognition, impairs impulse control, restricts dopamine production and affects mood.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025

I feel like—and I think it comes with turning 25—but my frontal lobe has developed and it’s like, “All right, time to be an adult now.”

From Slate ● Dec. 11, 2025

Like Phineas, these patients with frontal lobe damage have trouble making decisions.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

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