Cerebellum
/ˌsɛr.əˈbɛl.əm/noun
The part of the brain that helps coordinate movement, balance, and posture.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *cerebellum*, a diminutive of *cerebrum* (“brain”), so the name itself marks it as the brain’s “small twin,” not a mystical term but a precise anatomical one.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱer-
“to grow, head, horn; the root behind words for the head and upper body in several Indo-European languages”
Latin
Latin
cerebrum
“brain, mind”
Latin
Latin
cerebellum
“little brain; the smaller part of the brain”
Middle English
English
cerebellum
“the cerebellum; the hindbrain structure”
Modern English
English
cerebellum
“the brain region that coordinates movement and balance”