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 book was created using a biological, sensual craft, as well as a cerebral one. —Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025

This system can track immune cell movements, measure blood flow in tiny cerebral vessels, and monitor neuronal activity during thinking and sensing. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2025

Much of this lovely, cerebral film unfolds in a cozy Manhattan high-rise, a Christmas tree twinkling in the background as snow falls outside. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025

Brain scans revealed the severity of the bleeds and whether patients showed signs of cerebral small vessel disease, a condition that damages tiny blood vessels in the brain and is linked to aging, high blood pressure and dementia. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025

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