Advertisement

Advertisement

white matter

noun

Anatomy.
  1. nerve tissue, especially of the brain and spinal cord, which primarily contains myelinated fibers and is nearly white in color. Compare gray matter ( def 1 ).

white matter

noun

  1. the whitish tissue of the brain and spinal cord, consisting mainly of myelinated nerve fibres Technical namesubstantia alba Compare grey matter
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

white matter

  1. The whitish tissue of the vertebrate brain and spinal cord, made up chiefly of nerve fibers (axons) covered in myelin sheaths.
  2. Compare gray matter
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of white matter1

First recorded in 1830–40
Discover More

Compare Meanings

How does white matter compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Browse

  • #
  • aa
  • bb
  • cc
  • dd
  • ee
  • ff
  • gg
  • hh
  • ii
  • jj
  • kk
  • ll
  • mm
  • nn
  • oo
  • pp
  • qq
  • rr
  • ss
  • tt
  • uu
  • vv
  • ww
  • xx
  • yy
  • zz