gray matter

noun

1

: neural tissue especially of the brain and spinal cord that contains nerve-cell bodies as well as nerve fibers and has a brownish-gray color

2

: brains, intellect

Synonyms

• brain(s)
• brainpower
• headpiece
• intellect
• intellectuality
• intelligence
• mentality
• reason
• sense
• smarts

Examples of gray matter in a Sentence

she's got the gray matter to figure that equation out

Recent Examples on the Web

According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, practices such as meditation, journaling and self-reflection have shown an ability to increase the gray matter of our frontal lobe and strengthening its capabilities. —Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

The third wild card is a parasite that feeds off your gray matter and replaces it with asbestos. —Grant Brisbee, The Athletic, 24 July 2024

First, neuroscientists are tasked with discovering the computational strategies at work in the brain’s squishy gray matter; then the data team will translate those strategies into algorithms. —IEEE Spectrum, 30 May 2017

Past studies have also examined changes in the brain during pregnancy, including the decreases in gray matter volume, as well as a reduction in brain size. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

gray matter

noun

1

: nerve tissue especially of the brain and spinal cord that has a brownish gray color

2

: intelligence sense 1

Medical Definition

gray matter

noun

: neural tissue especially of the brain and spinal cord that contains cell bodies as well as nerve fibers, has a brownish gray color, and forms most of the cortex and nuclei of the brain, the columns of the spinal cord, and the bodies of ganglia

called also gray substance