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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of white matter¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

At six months old she was diagnosed with a genetic white matter disease.

From BBC

"Since white matter growth is particularly rapid in infants and toddlers, we also hypothesized that there might be specific periods of increased vulnerability to cold and heat exposure in these developmental periods."

From Salon

These axons form bundles that make up white matter in the brain and play a large role in learning and communication between different brain regions.

From Science Daily

According to the lab’s report, prepared on Feb. 26 and updated on Wednesday, the white matter that forms the wiring deep in the brain had “moderately severe” damage, and in some areas was missing entirely.

From New York Times

With the scans, researchers looked at the integrity of the white matter pathways in the brain by looking at movement of water molecules in the brain tissue.

From Science Daily