GYRUS

TileHead’s Word of the Day for 9 June 2011

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GYRUS  (n. pl. GYRI)

Definitions:

1. (n.) a ridge between grooves, especially a ridge of gray matter in the cerebral cortex of the brain

Useful information for game players:

• Front hooks: (none)
• Back hooks: (none)
• Anagrams: SURGY
• Longer extensions: (none)
• Wraparounds: (none)
• Other Spellings: (none)
• Related Forms: (none)

Epilogue:
As a BRAINIAC could probably tell you, many words relating to the human brain are composed of classical Latin and Greek roots: GYRUS, for example, derives from the Greek gyros, “rounded or curved.”  As such, the plurals can be tricky to remember.  A few others that come to mind in this category include:

• PONS (pl. PONTES) a band of nerve fibers in the brain 
• MENINX (pl. MENINGES) any of the membranes enclosing the brain and spinal cord 
• VERMIS (pl. VERMES) a part of the brain
• STRIATUM (pl. STRIATA) a mass of nervous tissues within the brain
• THALAMUS (pl. THALAMI) a part of the brain

This week’s theme: Words starting with the letter G

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