Rhombencephalon
/ˌrɒm.bɛnˈsɛf.ə.lɒn/noun
The posterior part of the vertebrate brain, comprising the hindbrain and associated structures.
Did you know?The term was coined in modern scientific Latin from Greek roots: rhombos originally meant a spinning top or rhombus-like shape, so the brain region was named for its diamond-like form.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ῥόμβος (rhómbos)
“a spinning object, later a rhombus or diamond-like shape”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐγκέφαλος (enképhalos)
“the brain; literally “in the head””
New Latin
Latin
rhombencephalon
“a coined anatomical term for the hindbrain”
19th Century
English
rhombencephalon
“a scientific anatomical term for the posterior part of the brain”
Modern English
English
rhombencephalon
“the hindbrain, especially the region giving rise to the pons, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata”
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