mesencephalon

M3E1S1E1N1C3E1P3H4A1L1O1N1
/ˌmɛzənˈsɛfələn//ˌmɛzənˈsɛfəlɒn/

noun

A part of the brain located rostral to the pons and caudal to the thalamus and the basal ganglia, composed of the tectum (dorsal portion) and the tegmentum (ventral portion).

Similar
midbrain
UncommonScrabble 22
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Meanings

nounmesencephalon (plural mesencephalons or mesencephala)

plural mesencephalons · plural mesencephala

  1. A part of the brain located rostral to the pons and caudal to the thalamus and the basal ganglia, composed of the tectum (dorsal portion) and the tegmentum (ventral portion).

    Synonyms: midbrain

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA part of the brain located rostral to the pons and caudal to the thalamus and the basal ganglia, composed of the tectum (dorsal portion) and the tegmentum (ventral portion).

Similar
midbrain

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe middle portion of the brain

Similar
midbrain
Broader
neural structure
Also see
mesencephalmidbrain

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From mes- + encephalon.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mesencephalon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mesencephalon

MLA

“mesencephalon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mesencephalon. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mesencephalon,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mesencephalon.

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