mesencephalon

American  

[mes-en-sef-uh-lon, -luhn, mez-] / ˌmɛs ɛnˈsɛf əˌlɒn, -lən, ˌmɛz- /

noun

plural

mesencephala, mesencephalons

1. Anatomy. the midbrain.

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mesencephalon British  

/ ˌmɛsɛnsɪˈfælɪk, ˌmɛsɛnˈsɛfəˌlɒn /

noun

1. Nontechnical name: midbrain.  the part of the brain that develops from the middle portion of the embryonic neural tube Compare prosencephalon rhombencephalon

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Other Word Forms

• mesencephalic adjective

Etymology

Origin of mesencephalon

First recorded in 1840–50; mes- + encephalon

Example Sentences

The single cavity seen in Amphioxus is here subdivided into three: an anterior or prosencephalon, a middle or mesencephalon, and a hinder or rhombencephalon.

From Project Gutenberg

The mesencephalon or mid-brain, when looked at from the dorsal surface, shows a pair of large hollow swellings, the optic lobes or corpora bigemina.

From Project Gutenberg

In the mesencephalon fibres corresponding with those of the fillet of higher vertebrates can be seen, and there is a nucleus in the hinder part of the corpora bigemina foreshadowing the separation into corpora quadrigemina.

From Project Gutenberg

The first is known as the cephalic, and is caused by the prosencephalon bending sharply downward, below and in front of the mesencephalon.

From Project Gutenberg

In the mesencephalon the alar laminae form the corpora quadrigemina; these at first are bigeminal and hollow as they are in the lower vertebrates.

From Project Gutenberg