cerebral

adjective

ce·re·bral | \ sə-ˈrē-brəl

, ˈser-ə-

, ˈse-rə-\

Definition of cerebral

1a : of or relating to the brain or the intellect

b : of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum cerebral edema cerebral arteries

2a : appealing to intellectual appreciation cerebral drama

b : primarily intellectual in nature a cerebral society books for cerebral readers

Other Words from cerebral Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about cerebral

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Did You Know?

English borrowed its word cerebrum directly from the Latin word for "brain," but the adjective cerebral took a slightly more circuitous route into our language, reaching English by way of French cerebral. Cerebrum has been used in our language as a name for the brain since the early 1600s, though the more specific scientific sense, referring just to the large upper part of the brain, didn't develop until later. Cerebral has been appearing in print in English since at least 1816. Other brainy descendants of cerebrum in English include cerebellum (the part of the brain between the brain stem and the back of the cerebrum) and cerebrate, which arrived in English in 1915 with the meaning "to use the mind" or "to think."

Examples of cerebral in a Sentence

He's a very cerebral comedian. a very cerebral jurist who has given much thought to what makes our nation's constitution work

Recent Examples on the Web

The cause was dementia caused by cerebral atherosclerosis, said a son, Charles Mercier. — Washington Post, "The story must be told.," 22 Jan. 2018 This week, Atelier Ace, the in-house creative studio and operators of Ace Hotel, is debuting Sister City, a quietly elegant and cerebral approach to hospitality. — Vanessa Lawrence, ELLE Decor, "Atelier Ace's New New York City Hotel Wants to Help You Clear Your Head," 14 May 2019 Under the mentorship of Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE is carrying the torch for cerebral city kids making the most out of the simultaneous everything and nothing NY offers. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "10 Hip-Hop and R&B Artists to Watch in 2018," 5 Jan. 2018 Rondo and Paul, two of the NBA’s most talented, cerebral and antagonistic point guards, have a contentious history that dates back more than a decade. Saturday night is when their simmering tension boiled over. — Ben Cohen, WSJ, "LeBron James’s First Game in Los Angeles Turns Into Fight Night," 21 Oct. 2018 Was Simons too cerebral for Klein or was Klein too commercial for Simons? — Luke Leitch, Vogue, "6 Talking Points From the Fall 2019 Menswear Season to Come Inspired by Virgil... (Not the Virgil that You’re Thinking Of)," 3 Jan. 2019 Right away, the team saw a blockage in his right middle cerebral artery—a serious stroke. — Thomas M. Burton, WSJ, "Hospitals Rush to Offer New Stroke Treatment," 26 Dec. 2018 This ensures that things stay hotly competitive right until the end, which makes Emara a deeply satisfying and cerebral gem. — Owen Duffy, Ars Technica, "Essen 2018: The best board games from the biggest board game con," 3 Nov. 2018 But the bones of this project are familiar ones, and fans of classic cerebral horror will recognize the specific feelings of looming dread and wonder that horror cinema so often misses in the rush to get to jump scares and sequel setups. — Tasha Robinson, The Verge, "Netflix’s Apostle takes The Wicker Man to a radical new level," 12 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cerebral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.