cerveau

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French cerveau, cervel, from Old French cervel, from Latin cerebellum, diminutive of cerebrum, from Proto-Italic *kerazrom, from a Proto-Indo-European form *ḱerh₂-s-ro, from the root *ḱerh₂- (“head”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɛʁ.vo/

  • Audio:

    (file)

• Rhymes: -o
• Homophone: cerveaux

Noun

cerveau m (plural cerveaux)

1. brain (organ of thought)

   Synonym: (archaic or derogatory or Louisiana) cervelle f

2. (Louisiana) sinus cavity, sinuses

   Synonym: sinus m

3. (Louisiana) nostril

   Synonyms: narine f, trou de nez m

Derived terms

• cerveau brûlé
• cerveau reptilien
• exode des cerveaux
• fuite des cerveaux
• lavage de cerveau

Related terms

• cervelet
• cervelle

Further reading

• “cerveau”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
• “cerveau” in Dictionnaire français en ligne Larousse.
• “cerveau” in Dico en ligne Le Robert.
• Dictionary of Louisiana French: As Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and American Indian Communities (2009; →ISBN; →ISBN)

Anagrams

• évacuer

Middle French

Alternative forms

• cervel

Etymology

From Old French cervel.

Noun

cerveau m (plural cerveaux)

1. brain

Descendants

• French: cerveau