grey matter en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic, uncountable) Brains; a person's ability to think.
"I'd better be putting my grey matter into that algebra instead of wasting it plotting for a party dress that I certainly can't get."
1904, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “Penelope's Party Waist”, in Short Stories: 1904:How many phone numbers are stored in your grey matter?
2001 September 28, Thomas K. Grose, “Connect the Dots”, in Time:"Inspector Pepys!" gasped Bernard Megger, swallowing between the words, "I shall remember you!" "You will be wasting grey matter!" replied the man.
1914, Sax Rohmer, chapter 10, in The Sins of Severac Bablon:
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(uncountable) Literal brains as a general substance.
He fell from the 5th floor. There is grey matter on the path behind his head. I'm afraid he's dead.
- (uncountable) A collection of cell bodies and (usually) dendritic connections, in contrast to white matter.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| gray matter | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
Translations (39)
it sostanza grigia (collection of cell bodies) · sv de små grå (collection of cell bodies) · it materia grigia (collection of cell bodies) · vi chất xám (person's ability to think) · pt substância cinzenta (collection of cell bodies) · fi aivot (person's ability to think) · hu szürkeállomány (collection of cell bodies) · ast sustancia gris (collection of cell bodies) · fr matière grise (person's ability to think) · es materia gris (collection of cell bodies) · id bahan kelabu (collection of cell bodies) · it materia grigia (person's ability to think) · mk сива маса (collection of cell bodies) · pl substancja szara (collection of cell bodies) · gl materia gris (collection of cell bodies) · vi chất xám (collection of cell bodies) · ms jirim kelabu (collection of cell bodies) · ru се́рое вещество́ (collection of cell bodies) · fr matière grise (collection of cell bodies) · hy գորշ նյութ (collection of cell bodies) · el φαιά ουσία (person's ability to think) · sv små grå (collection of cell bodies) · ca substància grisa (collection of cell bodies) · ka ტვინის რუხი ნივთიერება (collection of cell bodies) · fi harmaa aine (collection of cell bodies) · nl grijze stof (collection of cell bodies) · el φαιά ουσία (collection of cell bodies) · pl szare komórki (person's ability to think) · pl istota szara (collection of cell bodies) · gl substancia gris (collection of cell bodies) · cmn 灰質 /灰质 (collection of cell bodies) · ja 灰白質 (collection of cell bodies) · pt matéria cinzenta (collection of cell bodies) · ka რუხი ნივთიერება (collection of cell bodies) · es sustancia gris (collection of cell bodies) · ko 회백질 (collection of cell bodies) · de graue Substanz (collection of cell bodies) · ro materie cenușie (collection of cell bodies) · kmr madeyê gewr (collection of cell bodies)