cerebral
adjective
ce·re·bral sə-ˈrē-brəl 
ˈser-ə-
ˈser-ə- ˈse-rə-
1
a
: of or relating to the brain or the intellect
b
: of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum
cerebral edema
cerebral arteries
2
a
: appealing to intellectual appreciation
cerebral drama
b
: primarily intellectual in nature
a cerebral society
books for cerebral readers
cerebrally
sə-ˈrē-brə-lē
adverb ˈser-ə-
ˈse-rə-
Did you know?
Cerebral comes from Latin cerebrum—a word meaning "brain." Another brainy word is cerebrate, "to use the mind" or "to think."
Synonyms
- blue
- eggheaded
- geeky
- highbrow
- highbrowed
- intellectual
- intellectualist
- intellectualistic
- long-haired
- longhair
- nerdish
- nerdy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He's a very cerebral comedian. a very cerebral jurist who has given much thought to what makes our nation's constitution work
Recent Examples on the Web The disease can be fatal, according to the CDC, with symptoms that include flu-like conditions that can progress to cerebral dysfunction and other abnormal behavior. 
The Courier-Journal, 17 Aug. 2022 Instead, Hamid conveys his story with a sort of cerebral seriousness. Wired, 10 Aug. 2022 Joni Mitchell’s complex, emotive, cerebral, ever-evolving music is ranking higher than ever. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2022 The Egyptian, with his dry, cerebral style, failed to inspire jihadists as powerfully as bin Laden or younger leaders such as Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, founder of the Iraqi insurgency that would later become the Islamic State. Joby Warrick, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2022 That was the longtime strategy in Fort Foxborough with another hard-working, cerebral signal-caller — Tom Brady. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2022 The director’s cerebral science-fiction thriller took in $44 million in its box office debut, easily leading domestic charts and impressively landing one of the biggest opening weekends in years for a film that’s not based on existing IP. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 25 July 2022 Now for the heartbreaker — Neil says the song’s unintelligible vocals are meant to represent his son with cerebral-palsy’s inability to communicate. Liza Lentini, SPIN, 20 July 2022 Minich says the cerebral talents help out his physical skills on the gridiron. Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 20 July 2022 See More
The Courier-Journal, 17 Aug. 2022 Instead, Hamid conveys his story with a sort of cerebral seriousness. Wired, 10 Aug. 2022 Joni Mitchell’s complex, emotive, cerebral, ever-evolving music is ranking higher than ever. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2022 The Egyptian, with his dry, cerebral style, failed to inspire jihadists as powerfully as bin Laden or younger leaders such as Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, founder of the Iraqi insurgency that would later become the Islamic State. Joby Warrick, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2022 That was the longtime strategy in Fort Foxborough with another hard-working, cerebral signal-caller — Tom Brady. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2022 The director’s cerebral science-fiction thriller took in $44 million in its box office debut, easily leading domestic charts and impressively landing one of the biggest opening weekends in years for a film that’s not based on existing IP. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 25 July 2022 Now for the heartbreaker — Neil says the song’s unintelligible vocals are meant to represent his son with cerebral-palsy’s inability to communicate. Liza Lentini, SPIN, 20 July 2022 Minich says the cerebral talents help out his physical skills on the gridiron. Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 20 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French cérébral, from Latin cerebrum brain; akin to Old High German hirni brain, Greek kara head, keras horn, Sanskrit śiras head — more at horn
First Known Use
1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Phrases Containing cerebral
Kids Definition
cerebral
adjective
ce·re·bral sə-ˈrē-brəl
ˈser-ə-brəl
1
: of or relating to the brain or mind
2
: of, relating to, or affecting the cerebrum
Medical Definition
cerebral
adjective
ce·re·bral sə-ˈrē-brəl ˈser-ə-
ˈser-ə- 1
: of or relating to the brain or the intellect
2
: of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum
cerebral blood flow
cerebral toxoplasmosis
cerebral
adjective
1
as in intellectual
much given to learning and thinking a very cerebral jurist who has given much thought to what makes our nation's constitution work Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- intellectual
- highbrow
- intellectualistic
- academic
- nerdy
- cultured
- intelligent
- geeky
- intellectualist
- scholarly
- blue
- nerdish
- literate
- educated
- eggheaded
- highbrowed
- longhair
- academical
- cultivated
- brilliant
- clever
- erudite
- middlebrow
- smart
- bookish
- long-haired
- didactic
- brainy
- professorial
- polymath
- schooled
- pedantic
- learned
- polymathic
- snobbish
- snooty
- snobby
- well-read
- bright
- high-toned
- hyperintellectual
- polyhistoric
- quick-witted
- high-hat
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonintellectual
- lowbrow
- uncultured
- philistine
- ignorant
- uncultivated
- uneducated
- illiterate
- slow
- anti-intellectual
- unintelligent
- dumb
- stupid
- idiotic
- foolish
- moronic
- unlettered
- unread
- unenlightened
- benighted
- idiotical
2
as in internal
of or relating to the mind a young man given more to cerebral pursuits than to sporting activities Synonyms & Similar Words
- internal
- inner
- interior
- mental
- psychological
- intellectual
- cognitive
- psychologic
- conscious
- epistemic
- psychic
- brainy
- intelligent
- noetic
- telepathic
- psychical
- rational
- thinking
- knowing
- brilliant
- reasoning
- clever
- smart
- quick-witted
- alert
- sharp-witted
- bright
- sharp
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- physical
- corporeal
- nonmental
- somatic
- bodily
- carnal
- corporal
- unconscious
- dense
- obtuse
- fleshly
- unintelligent
- dopey
- brainless
- simple
- stupid
- mindless
- doltish
- thick
- witless
- thickheaded
- fatuous
- slow-witted
- half-witted
- dopy
- weak-minded