diencephalon

D2I1E1N1C3E1P3H4A1L1O1N1
/ˌdaɪənˈsɛfəlɒn/UK/ˌdaɪ̯.ənˈsɛfəlɒn/US/ˌdaɪ̯.ənˈsɛfəlɑn/

noun

The region of the human brain, specifically the human forebrain, that includes the thalamus, the hypothalamus, the epithalamus, the prethalamus or subthalamus, and the pretectum.

Similar
interbrain'tweenbraintwixtbrainbetweenbrain
OriginNew Latin diencephalon →
UncommonScrabble 20
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noundiencephalon (plural diencephalons or diencephala)

plural diencephalons · plural diencephala

  1. anatomyThe region of the human brain, specifically the human forebrain, that includes the thalamus, the hypothalamus, the epithalamus, the prethalamus or subthalamus, and the pretectum.

    Synonyms: interbrain, 'tweenbrain, twixtbrain

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe region of the human brain, specifically the human forebrain, that includes the thalamus, the hypothalamus, the epithalamus, the prethalamus or subthalamus, and the pretectum.

Similar
interbrain'tweenbraintwixtbrain

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe posterior division of the forebrain; connects the cerebral hemispheres with the mesencephalon

Similar
interbrainbetweenbrain
Broader
neural structure
Also see
interbrainthalamencephalon'tweenbraintwixtbrain

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. New Latindiencephalon
  2. Englishdiencephalon

From New Latin diencephalon, from di-, prevocalic form of dia- + encephalon.

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan diencèfal
  • diencèfalregion of the human brain
Czech mezimozek
  • mezimozekregion of the human brain
Danish mellemhjernen
  • mellemhjernenregion of the human brain
Dutch tussenhersen
  • tussenhersenregion of the human brain
Estonian vaheaju
  • vaheajuregion of the human brain
Finnish väliaivot
  • väliaivotregion of the human brain
French diencéphale
  • diencéphaleregion of the human brain
German Zwischenhirn, Diencephalon
  • Zwischenhirnregion of the human brain
  • Diencephalonregion of the human brain
  • Dienzephalonregion of the human brain
Greek διεγκέφαλος
  • διεγκέφαλος (diegkéfalos)region of the human brain
Hungarian köztiagy
  • köztiagyregion of the human brain
Italian diencefalo
  • diencefaloregion of the human brain
Japanese 間脳
  • 間脳 (kannō)region of the human brain
Latvian starpsmadzenes
  • starpsmadzenesregion of the human brain
Lithuanian tarpinės smegenys
  • tarpinės smegenysregion of the human brain
Persian مغز میانجی
  • مغز میانجی (maġz miyânji)region of the human brain
Polish międzymózgowie
  • międzymózgowieregion of the human brain
Portuguese diencéfalo
  • diencéfaloregion of the human brain
Russian промежу́точный мозг
  • промежу́точный мозг (promežútočnyj mozg)region of the human brain
Spanish diencéfalo
  • diencéfaloregion of the human brain
Swedish mellanhjärna, diencefalon
  • mellanhjärnaregion of the human brain
  • diencefalonregion of the human brain
Turkish ara beyin
  • ara beyinregion of the human brain
Vietnamese não trung gian, não giữa
  • não trung gianregion of the human brain
  • não giữaregion of the human brain
Cite this entry
APA

diencephalon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diencephalon

MLA

“diencephalon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diencephalon. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “diencephalon,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diencephalon.

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