extracerebral
|ex-tra-ce-re-br-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌɛkstrəˈsɛrɪbrəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌekstrəˈsɛrɪbrəl/
outside the brain
Etymology
'extracerebral' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'extra-' and the noun 'cerebrum', where 'extra-' meant 'outside' and 'cerebrum' meant 'brain'.
'extracerebral' was formed in modern English by combining the Latin prefix 'extra-' with the adjective stem from Latin 'cerebralis' (from 'cerebrum' 'brain'), with 'cerebral' entering English via Medieval/Modern French influences and then compounded with 'extra-'.
Initially it meant 'outside the brain' (literally 'outside the cerebrum'), and over time it has retained that literal medical sense of 'located outside the brain'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
located or occurring outside the cerebrum (the brain) or outside the brain substance; used especially in medical contexts to describe lesions, hemorrhages, or structures external to the brain tissue.
The tumor was extracerebral, arising from the meninges rather than the brain tissue itself.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/24 19:09