What does gyrus mean?
In anatomy, a gyrus is one of the raised, winding folds on the surface of the brain. The cerebral cortex is marked by these folds, which are separated by grooves called sulci. Major named gyri, including the temporal, precentral, postcentral, and cingulate gyri, help describe the location or function of particular brain structures. The singular is gyrus and the plural is gyri. Although the word is used more broadly in anatomy, it is especially associated with descriptions of the human and animal brain in medicine and neuroscience. Its unusual spelling and pronunciation are worth noting: the word begins with a soft “j” sound, and its plural changes completely to gyri. The term comes through Latin from Greek gyros, meaning “circle,” a fitting origin for the brain’s conspicuously curved surface structures.
nounA raised ridge or fold on the surface of the brain, formed by the cerebral cortex. The plural is gyri.
- An elevated ridge or fold of the cerebral cortex, especially one of the winding structures on the brain’s surface.
"The MRI scan revealed abnormal activity in a gyrus of the temporal lobe."
"Researchers examined the response of neurons in the visual cortex before and after the lesion was created."
"Each cerebral gyrus is separated from adjacent folds by a deeper groove called a sulcus."
The standard plural is gyri, with the final i pronounced as “eye.”
"The scan showed thinning in several gyri of the frontal lobe."
A gyrus is the brain’s raised fold; the grooves between these folds are called sulci.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gyrus come from?
The English word was borrowed from Latin gyrus in the 17th century. Latin in turn had taken the term from Greek gyros, meaning “circle” or “round thing.” The same root produced familiar words such as gyrate, gyration, gyre, and gyroscope, all preserving an idea of turning or circular motion.
Related word forms
How gyrus is actually used
This is a technical anatomical term used primarily in neuroscience, medicine, and psychology. Its plural gyri is standard in scholarly and clinical writing.
Easily confused with gyrus
A gyrus is a raised fold in the cerebral cortex, whereas a gyre is a circular or spiral form, as in a gyre of ocean water.