protocerebrum
|pro-to-ce-re-brum|
🇺🇸
/ˌproʊtəˈsɛrɪbrəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌprɒtəˈsɛrɪbrəm/
first/anterior part of the brain
Etymology
'protocerebrum' originates from Greek and Latin: the prefix 'proto-' from Greek 'protos' meaning 'first' and Latin 'cerebrum' meaning 'brain'.
'protocerebrum' was formed in Neo-Latin (scientific Latin) by combining 'proto-' and 'cerebrum' and entered English scientific usage in anatomical and zoological literature in the 19th century.
Initially it literally meant 'first brain'; over time it came to denote specifically the anterior region of the arthropod brain with defined neural structures and functions.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the anterior part of the arthropod brain, which includes the optic lobes and central processing centers responsible for visual and other sensory integration.
The protocerebrum integrates visual inputs from the compound eyes and relays processed signals to other brain regions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/10 17:08