pulvinar

American  

[puhl-vahy-ner] / pʌlˈvaɪ nər /

noun

plural

pulvinaria

1. (in ancient Rome)

   1. a cushioned couch kept in readiness for any visitation of a god.

   2. a cushioned seat at a circus.

2. Also called pulvinus.  (on an Ionic capital) either of two convex forms having on their ends two of the volutes.

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adjective

1. pulvinate.

Etymology

Origin of pulvinar

1590–1600; (noun) < Latin pulvīnar cushioned couch, equivalent to pulvīn ( us ) cushion + -ar, shortening of -āre, neuter of āris -ar ¹; (adj.) pulvin(us) + -ar ¹

Example Sentences

Tyborowska, A., Volman, I., Smeekens, S., Toni, I. & Roelofs, K. Testosterone during puberty shifts emotional control from pulvinar to anterior prefrontal cortex.

From Nature • Feb. 20, 2018

The posterior knob-like extremity of the thalamus is called the pulvinar; this, as well as the two corpora geniculata and the superior corpus quadrigeminum, is connected with the optic tract.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

“Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero Pulsanda tellus: Nunc saliaribus Ornare pulvinar Deorum Tempus erit dapibus sodales.”

From Ebrietatis Encomium or, the Praise of Drunkenness by Samber, Robert

On the northern side, not directly opposite to the pulvinar, but considerably nearer the eastern end, the "Porta Pomp�," there were projecting boxes for the bridegroom, his most intimate friends, and his most distinguished guests.

From The Scarlet Banner by Dahn, Felix

He left a number of "togae" to his Oxford friends, including Robert Holler, the son of his Norfolk neighbour, to whom he also bequeathed "unum pulvinar vocatum le bolstar."

From Life in the Medieval University by Rait, Robert S.