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cerebral adj. [suh-REE-brul]

大脑的，理智的

Definition

1 a: of or relating to the brain or the intellect

   a：大脑的，与大脑有关的；智力的，与智力有关的    b: of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum    b：【医】大脑的，与大脑有关的，影响大脑的，成为大脑的

2 a: appealing to intellectual appreciation

   a：对理智欣赏产生吸引力的    b: primarily intellectual in nature    b：基本的理性

Did You Know?

English borrowed its word cerebrum directly from the Latin word for “brain,” but the adjective cerebral, though from the same source, took a slightly more circuitous route, making its way into English by way of French. Cerebrum has been used in our language as a name for the upper part of the brain since at least the 1570s. Cerebral has been appearing in print in English since the beginning of the 19th century, when it initially described the brain generally or the intellect. Other brainy descendants of cerebrum in English include cerebellum (the part of the brain between the brain stem and the back of the cerebrum) and cerebrate, a verb meaning “to use the mind” or “to think."

词源词根演化：cerebrum (n. “brain”) —> cerebral (adj.)

英语直接借来了拉丁名词cerebrum，意思是”大脑“，但是它的形容词形式cerebral，尽管是同一词源，但是进入到英语世界的道路却颇显的迂回曲折，事实上cerebral是通过法语借来的。至少从1570年代，cerebrum就成为英语单词了，表示”医学上大脑的上半部分“；直到19世纪，cerebral才出现在英语印刷品中，用于表示”通时的大脑“或者”智力“。其他的来自于cerebrum的与脑有关的词汇还包括cerebellum，表示”医学上脑干与大脑后侧中间的部分“，cerebrate，这个动词表示”用心“或者”思考“。

注：circuitous：迂回的，绕行的；

Examples

• “All exercise is good for the brain. Physical activity increases cerebral blood flow, reduces brain-damaging plaques and works to promote brain health at a cellular level.”

  — Marilynn Preston, The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2019
  所有的运动对大脑都有益处。锻炼身体可以增加大脑血流量，减少破坏大脑的plaque，从细胞层面上提升脑健康。

• “[Sally] Rooney poses far more questions than answers in her tart, cerebral book about young anti-establishment poets and writers attempting to transcend their own glibness.”

  — Katy Waldman, Slate, 12 Dec. 2017

  Sally Rooney在她的书（in her tart）里提出的问题比给出的答案多。这是一本理性的书，讨论那些想要突破传统的展现自己才能的年轻非主流诗人与作家。

  注：anti-establishment: 反对正统的人（即非主流）； glibness：口若悬河（通常浮于表面）

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