claustrum

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UK/ˈklɔːstɹəm/

noun

A thin, irregular sheet of grey matter underneath the inner part of the neocortex on both sides of the brains of mammals; its exact function is not understood, but it is believed to facilitate coordination between senses

“For quotations using this term, see Citations:claustrum.”

OriginLatin claustrum →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounclaustrum (plural claustra)

plural claustra

  1. anatomyA thin, irregular sheet of grey matter underneath the inner part of the neocortex on both sides of the brains of mammals; its exact function is not understood, but it is believed to facilitate coordination between senses

    For quotations using this term, see Citations:claustrum.

Origin

  1. Latinclaustrum“a bolt, bar”
  2. Englishclaustrum

Unadapted borrowing from Latin claustrum (“a bolt, bar”). Doublet of cloister.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish aivomuuri
  • aivomuurisheet of grey matter
German Vormauer, Claustrum
  • Vormauersheet of grey matter
  • Claustrumsheet of grey matter
Italian claustro
  • claustrosheet of grey matter
Latin claustrum
  • claustrumsheet of grey matter
Polish przedmurze
  • przedmurzesheet of grey matter
Russian огра́да
  • огра́да (ográda)sheet of grey matter
Cite this entry
APA

claustrum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/claustrum

MLA

“claustrum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/claustrum. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “claustrum,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/claustrum.

Source: claustrum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.