thalamus

[thal-uh-muhs]

noun

plural

thalami 

1. Anatomy.,  the middle part of the diencephalon through which sensory impulses pass to reach the cerebral cortex.

2. Botany.,  a receptacle or torus.

3. Also called thalamium. an apartment for women in an ancient Greek house.

thalamus

/ ˈθæləməs, θəˈlæmɪk /

noun

1. either of the two contiguous egg-shaped masses of grey matter at the base of the brain

2. both of these masses considered as a functional unit

3. the receptacle or torus of a flower

thalamus

plural

thalami 

1. The part of the vertebrate brain that lies at the rear of the forebrain. It relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex and regulates the perception of touch, pain, and temperature.

thalamus

1. The part of the brain that coordinates nerve impulses relating to the senses of sight, hearing, touch, and taste.

Other Word Forms

• thalamic adjective
• thalamically adverb
• postthalamic adjective
• subthalamic adjective
• transthalamic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thalamus¹

1695–1705; < New Latin; Latin: bedroom < Greek thálamos

Word History and Origins

Origin of thalamus¹

C18: from Latin, Greek thalamos inner room; probably related to Greek tholos vault