prefrontal

American  

[pree-fruhn-tl] / priˈfrʌn tl /

adjective

Anatomy.

1. anterior to, situated in, or pertaining to the anterior part of a frontal structure.

---

prefrontal British  

/ priːˈfrʌntəl /

adjective

1. situated in, involving, or relating to the foremost part of the frontal lobe of the brain

---

Etymology

Origin of prefrontal

First recorded in 1850–55; pre- + frontal

Explanation

Use the adjective prefrontal when you're talking about the very front part of the brain. Take care of your prefrontal cortex; it controls your personality. In an anatomy class, you'd gain a lot of information about the prefrontal cortex, since it's a vital section of the brain. The word prefrontal comes up in discussions of non-human animals as well, usually describing their brains, but sometimes in discussions of the skull, specifically the bones in front of a bird's or reptile's eye socket. Prefrontal combines pre-, "before," with frontal, "being in front," emphasizing the far forward location.

Example Sentences

The research showed a measurable decline in the performance of the prefrontal cortex between initial scans and five-year follow-ups.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Even before I first saw the film during last year’s Sundance Film Festival, this one-line elevator pitch was taking up all the space in my prefrontal cortex.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

They contained multiple types of neural cells normally found in the brain's prefrontal cortex, a region involved in higher-level thinking.

From Science Daily • Dec. 28, 2025

Güntürkün explains, "The avian equivalent to the prefrontal cortex, the NCL, is immensely connected and allows the brain to integrate and flexibly process information."

From Science Daily • Dec. 15, 2025

The very last part of the brain to get myelinated is the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for reason, planning, and deliberation.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater