putamen
noun
pu·ta·men pyü-ˈtā-mən 
: the large dark lateral part of the basal ganglion which comprises the external portion of the corpus striatum and which has connections to the caudate nucleus
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web But the right parietal lobe does have functional and anatomical connections to the putamen, Hayashi said, so perhaps the interactions of the two produce a more cohesive perception of time. 
Quanta Magazine, 24 Sep. 2020 Brain scans of the study participants tracked this effect in a region called the putamen, which is involved in motor learning and other functions. Quanta Magazine, 24 Sep. 2020
Quanta Magazine, 24 Sep. 2020 Brain scans of the study participants tracked this effect in a region called the putamen, which is involved in motor learning and other functions. Quanta Magazine, 24 Sep. 2020 Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Latin, hard outer covering, shell, from putare to clean, prune
First Known Use
1877, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
putamen
noun
pu·ta·men pyü-ˈtā-mən
plural putamina -ˈtam-ə-nə
: an outer reddish layer of gray matter in the lentiform nucleus