brain stem

noun

: the part of the brain composed of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata and connecting the spinal cord with the forebrain and cerebrum

Examples of brain stem in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An autopsy showed Turner died from a single gunshot wound to the head, which severed the brain stem. —Arkansas Online, 25 July 2025

To protect the fetus, care teams increasingly skip a necessary diagnostic for brain death called apnea testing, which involves momentarily removing the ventilator to test the respiratory centers of the brain stem. —Lindsey Breitwieser, The Conversation, 1 July 2025

The brain stem is located at the base of the brain. —Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 26 May 2025

The Dream Theater Does damage to the brain stem also affect the content of dreams and the actions of dreamers? —Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for brain stem

• condemn
• mayhem
• atm
• chernozem
• diadem
• ibidem
• meristem
• clem
• em
• femme
• gem
• hem

Kids Definition

brain stem

noun

: the back and lower part of the brain including the midbrain and medulla oblongata

Medical Definition

brain stem

noun

-ˌstem 

: the part of the brain composed of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata and connecting the spinal cord with the forebrain and cerebrum