cerebral

adjective

ce·​re·​bral sə-ˈrē-brəl  ˈser-ə- 

ˈse-rə-

1

a

: of or relating to the brain or the intellect

b

: of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum

cerebral edema

cerebral arteries

2

a

: appealing to intellectual appreciation

cerebral drama

b

: primarily intellectual in nature

a cerebral society

books for cerebral readers

cerebrally

sə-ˈrē-brə-lē 

ˈser-ə-, 

ˈse-rə-

adverb

Did you know?

Cerebral comes from Latin cerebrum—a word meaning "brain." Another brainy word is cerebrate, "to use the mind" or "to think."

Synonyms of cerebral

• intellectual

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

Photograph by Victor Llorente for The New Yorker The experimental singer-producer FKA twigs, for most of her career, has made cerebral electronic music intent on synchronizing the mind and body. —Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026

But baseball is a cerebral sport, often determined by decisions made away from the field. —Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026

The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend routine use of leucovorin for autistic children, including those with the brain condition known as cerebral folate deficiency. —Matthew Perrone The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 11 Mar. 2026

Now the agency has approved its use for cerebral folate deficiency—a rare genetic condition that may affect fewer than one in a million people, though its true prevalence is unknown. —Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French cérébral, from Latin cerebrum brain; akin to Old High German hirni brain, Greek kara head, keras horn, Sanskrit śiras head — more at horn

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing cerebral

• cerebral artery
• cerebral cortex
• cerebral hemisphere
• cerebral palsy

Rhymes for cerebral

• intracerebral

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Kids Definition

cerebral

adjective

ce·​re·​bral sə-ˈrē-brəl  ˈser-ə- 

1

: of or relating to the brain

2

: of, relating to, or being the cerebrum

3

: intellectual entry 1 sense 1

a cerebral novel

Medical Definition

cerebral

adjective

ce·​re·​bral sə-ˈrē-brəl  ˈser-ə- 

1

: of or relating to the brain or the intellect

2

: of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum

cerebral blood flow

cerebral toxoplasmosis