optic chiasma

American

Or optic chiasm

noun

a site at the base of the forebrain where the inner half of the fibers of the left and right optic nerves cross to the opposite side of the brain.

Etymology

Origin of optic chiasma

First recorded in 1870–75

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.

Pressure on the optic chiasma, for example by a tumour of the pituitary body, is associated with bilateral temporal hemianopsia.

From Project Gutenberg

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