Cerebral

Anatomy, Zoology. of or relating to the cerebrum or the brain.
betraying or characterized by the use of the intellect rather than intuition or instinct:
His is a cerebral music that leaves many people cold.
Phonetics. retroflex (def 2).
Phonetics. a cerebral sound.
Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

adjective
of or relating to the cerebrum or to the entire brain
involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct
(phonetics) another word for cacuminal
noun
(phonetics) a consonant articulated in the manner of a cacuminal consonant
adj.

1816, “pertaining to the brain,” from French cérébral (16c.), from Latin cerebrum “the brain” (also “the understanding”), from PIE *keres-, from root *ker- “top of the head” (see horn (n.)). Meaning “intellectual, clever” is from 1929. Cerebral palsy attested from 1824, originally a general term for cases of paralysis that seemed to be traceable to “a morbid state of the encephalon.” Later used in a more specific sense from c.1860, based on the work of English surgeon Dr. William Little.

cerebral cer·e·bral (sěr’ə-brəl, sə-rē’-)
adj.
Of or relating to the brain or cerebrum.
cerebral
(sěr’ə-brəl, sə-rē’brəl)
Relating to or involving the brain or cerebrum.
cerebral [(suh-ree-bruhl, ser-uh-bruhl)]

A descriptive term for things pertaining to the brain or cerebrum.

Note: The term is also used figuratively to describe things that appeal to the intellect.