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

The key to his surge has been an increased use of his gray matter …

—Austin Murphy

Synonyms of gray matter

• 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

Long-term, alcohol damages the brain by shrinking white and gray matter, dulling rewards, and overactivating the stress system. —Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 6 Nov. 2025

In the brain, MRI can differentiate between white matter and gray matter and can also be used to diagnose aneurysms and tumors. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 28 Oct. 2025

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

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