Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The lowermost portion of the vertebrate brain, continuous with the spinal cord, responsible for the control of respiration, circulation, and certain other bodily functions.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The lower portion of the
brainstem .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun lower or hindmost part of the brain; continuous with spinal cord; (`bulb' is an old term for medulla oblongata)
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[New Latin medulla oblongāta : Latin medulla, medulla + New Latin oblongāta, feminine of oblongātus, oblong.]
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Examples
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chained_bear commented on the word medulla oblongata
This phrase always seemed so... lyrical.
"Medulla oblongata in the marketplace..." *earworm!*
December 5, 2007
bilby commented on the word medulla oblongata
Lol c_b, that's beautiful! I just knew the Beatles were really neurosurgeons who found more fun things to do than cut heads open :-)
December 5, 2007
garyth123 commented on the word medulla oblongata
The medulla oblongata is the lower portion of the brainstem. It deals with autonomic functions, such as breathing and blood pressure. The cardiac center is the part of the medulla oblongata responsible for controlling the heart rate.
medulla oblongata at the Wikipedia.
December 4, 2008
whichbe commented on the word medulla oblongata
Anagram of: A Ballad Unto Mogel
December 4, 2008
oroboros commented on the word medulla oblongata
See comment under spatula.
July 8, 2011