thalamus

[ thal-uh-muhs ]

noun,plural thal·a·mi [thal-uh-mahy]. /ˈθæl əˌmaɪ/.
  1. Anatomy. the middle part of the diencephalon through which sensory impulses pass to reach the cerebral cortex.

  2. Botany. a receptacle or torus.

  1. Also called thalamium. an apartment for women in an ancient Greek house.

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Origin of thalamus

1
1695–1705; <New Latin; Latin: bedroom <Greek thálamos

Other words from thalamus

  • tha·lam·ic [thuh-lam-ik], /θəˈlæm ɪk/, adjective
  • tha·lam·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • post·tha·lam·ic, adjective
  • sub·tha·lam·ic, adjective
  • trans·tha·lam·ic, adjective

Words Nearby thalamus

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How to use thalamus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for thalamus

thalamus

/ (ˈθæləməs) /


nounplural -mi (-ˌmaɪ)
  1. either of the two contiguous egg-shaped masses of grey matter at the base of the brain

  2. both of these masses considered as a functional unit

  1. the receptacle or torus of a flower

Origin of thalamus

1
C18: from Latin, Greek thalamos inner room; probably related to Greek tholos vault

Derived forms of thalamus

  • thalamic (θəˈlæmɪk), adjective
  • thalamically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for thalamus

thalamus

[ thălə-məs ]


Plural thalami (thălə-mī′)
  1. The part of the vertebrate brain that lies at the rear of the forebrain. It relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex and regulates the perception of touch, pain, and temperature.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for thalamus

thalamus

[ (thal-uh-muhs) ]


The part of the brain that coordinates nerve impulses relating to the senses of sight, hearing, touch, and taste.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.