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medulla oblongata

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noun, plural medulla oblongatas, medullae oblongatae. Anatomy.
  1. the lowest or hindmost part of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord.
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Origin of medulla oblongata

1670–80; < New Latin: the long medulla
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

head, intellect, wit, mentality, cerebellum, encephalon, cerebrum
British Dictionary definitions for medulla oblongata

medulla oblongata

noun plural medulla oblongatas or medullae oblongatae (mɪˈdʌliː ˌɒblɒŋˈɡɑːtiː)
  1. the lower stalklike section of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord, containing control centres for the heart and lungs
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Word Origin

C17: New Latin: oblong-shaped medulla
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
medulla oblongata in Medicine

medulla oblongata

(ŏb′lŏng-gā′tə, -gä′tə)
n. pl. medulla ob•lon•ga•tas
  1. The lowermost portion of the vertebrate brain, continuous with the spinal cord and responsible for the control of respiration, circulation, and other bodily functions.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
medulla oblongata in Science

medulla oblongata

[ŏb′lông-gä′tə]
Plural medulla oblongatas medullae oblongatae (ŏb′lông-gä′tē)
  1. The lowermost portion of the brainstem in humans and other mammals. It is important in the reflex control of involuntary processes, including respiration, heartbeat, and blood pressure.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.