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

The illness can progress very rapidly, spreading into cerebral spinal fluid and into the brain. —Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2026

Oddfellow, on the other hand, was cerebral and controlled, preferring to use supernatural powers and mess with people’s minds. —Eve Chen, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026

Such cerebral, stealthily political dramas have made Petzold an auteur’s auteur, beloved by the likes of Claire Denis and Brady Corbet. —Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026

His latest cerebral thriller continues his pivot toward micro-budget filmmaking. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 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