NYT Dictionary

MIDBRAIN

/ˈmɪd.ˌbreɪn/
NounMID-brainmid-brain · 2 syllablesGrade 10

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2021, 2023, 2026

Meaning

A part of the brain located rostral to the pons and caudal to the thalamus and the basal ganglia, composed of the tectum (dorsal portion) and the tegmentum (ventral portion).

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *me Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *-dʰe Proto-Indo-European *médʰi Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos Proto-Germanic *midjaz Proto-West Germanic *midi Old English midd Middle English mid English mid English mid- Proto-Indo-European *mregʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-n̥ Proto-Indo-European *mrógʰ-n̥ ~ *mrégʰ-n̥-s Proto-Germanic *bragną Proto-West Germanic *bragn Old English bræġn Middle English brayn English brain English midbrain From mid- + brain.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

mesencephaloncerebellumcerebrumconvolutionfissurelobemantle

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 2 recorded puzzles, including a pangram:

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