gray matter

noun

1

: neural tissue especially of the brain and spinal cord that contains nerve-cell bodies as well as nerve fibers and has a brownish-gray color

2

: brains, intellect

Synonyms

• sense
• intelligence
• intellect
• reason
• brain(s)

Examples of gray matter in a Sentence

she's got the gray matter to figure that equation out

Recent Examples on the Web

The researchers looked specifically at where gray matter (the body of a neuron) intersects with white matter (the long axons that project out of the cell body) — an area thought to be particularly vulnerable to head impacts. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025

Those with less social connection were also found to have smaller gray matter volume in regions of the brain associated with thinking and learning. —Arianna Huffington, Time, 1 Oct. 2025

Some studies reported smaller gray matter volumes in children with ADHD compared to those without, while others showed no difference or even larger volumes. —New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2025

In other words there’s a measurable reduction in brain volume or gray matter in certain areas. —Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gray matter

• backscatter
• antimatter
• atter
• batter
• blatter
• catarrh
• chatter
• clatter
• fatter
• flatter
• hatter
• latter

Kids Definition

gray matter

noun

1

: nerve tissue especially of the brain and spinal cord that has a brownish gray color

2

: intelligence sense 1

Medical Definition

gray matter

noun

: neural tissue especially of the brain and spinal cord that contains cell bodies as well as nerve fibers, has a brownish gray color, and forms most of the cortex and nuclei of the brain, the columns of the spinal cord, and the bodies of ganglia

called also gray substance