I. səˈrēbrəl, ˈserəb- adjective
Etymology: French cérébral, from Latin cerebrum brain + French -al; akin to Old High German hirni brain, Old Norse hjarni, Greek kara head, keras horn, Sanskrit śiras head — more at horn
1.
a. : of or relating to the brain or the intellect
b. : of, relating to, or being the cerebrum or the hemispheres of the brain
2.
a. : appealing to intellectual and critical rather than emotional appreciation : demanding thought for perception of subtleties
cerebral music
cerebral drama
b. : characterized by the usually subtle use of the mind : primarily intellectual in nature
a cerebral poet
3.
[translation of Sanskrit mūrdhanya, literally, of the head]
a. : articulated with or involving the participation of the tongue tip curled up and back until its under surface touches the hard palate — used especially of various consonants in Asiatic-Indian languages
b. : retroflex
Synonyms: see mental
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a cerebral speech sound
2. : a cerebral anatomical element (as an artery)