Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

thalamus

 - 8 dictionary results

thal⋅a⋅mus

[thal-uh-muhs]
–noun, plural -mi [-mahy] .
1. Anatomy. the middle part of the diencephalon through which sensory impulses pass to reach the cerebral cortex.
2. Botany. a receptacle or torus.
3. Also called thalamium. an apartment for women in an ancient Greek house.

Origin:
1695–1705; < NL; L: bedroom < Gk thálamos


tha⋅lam⋅ic [thuh-lam-ik] , adjective
tha⋅lam⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To thalamus
thal·a·mus   (thāl'ə-məs)   
n.   pl. thal·a·mi (-mī')
  1. Anatomy A large ovoid mass of gray matter situated in the posterior part of the forebrain that relays sensory impulses to the cerebral cortex.

  2. Botany The receptacle of a flower.


[Latin, inner chamber, from Greek thalamos.]
tha·lam'ic (thə-lām'ĭk) adj., tha·lam'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Cultural Dictionary

thalamus [(thal-uh-muhs)]

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

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

thalamus 
1753, "the receptacle of a flower," Mod.L., from L. thalamus "inner chamber," from Gk. thalamos "inner chamber, bedroom," related to thalame "den, lair," tholos "vault, vaulted building." Used since 1756 of a part of the forebrain where a nerve appears to originate.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: thal·a·mus
Pronunciation: 'thal-&-m&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural thal·a·mi /-"mI,-"mE/
: the largest subdivision of the diencephalon that consists chiefly of an ovoid mass of nuclei in each lateral wall of the third ventricle and serves to relay impulses andespecially sensory impulses to and from the cerebral cortex
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

thalamus thal·a·mus (thāl'ə-məs)
n. pl. thal·a·mi (-mī')
A large ovoid mass of gray matter that forms the larger dorsal subdivision of the diencephalon and is located medial to the internal capsule and to the body and tail of the caudate nucleus. It functions in the relay of sensory impulses to the cerebral cortex.


tha·lam'ic (thə-lām'ĭk) adj.
tha·lam'i·cal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Science Dictionary
thalamus   (thāl'ə-məs)  Pronunciation Key 
Plural thalami (thāl'ə-mī')
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 © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Encyclopedia

thalamus

either of a pair of large, ovoid organs that form most of the lateral walls of the third ventricle of the brain. The thalamus translates neural impulses from various receptors to the cerebral cortex, where they are experienced as the appropriate sensations of touch, pain, or temperature, during the waking state, and it regulates synaptic transmissions (i.e., incoming impulses) during resting states.

Learn more about thalamus with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see thalamus on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: