lobe

American  

[lohb] / loʊb /

noun

1. a roundish projection or division, as of an organ or a leaf.

2. earlobe.

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lobe British  

/ ləʊb /

noun

1. any rounded projection forming part of a larger structure

2. any of the subdivisions of a bodily organ or part, delineated by shape or connective tissue

3. short for ear lobe

4. any of the loops that form part of the graphic representation in cylindrical coordinates of the radiation pattern of a transmitting aerial Compare radiation pattern

5. any of the parts, not entirely separate from each other, into which a flattened plant part, such as a leaf, is divided

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lobe Scientific  

/ lōb /

1. A rounded projection, as on a leaf or petal. The leaves of many oak species have prominent lobes.

2. An anatomical division of an organ of the body. The liver, lungs, and brain are all characterized by lobes that are held in place by connective tissue.

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Other Word Forms

• multilobe noun

Etymology

Origin of lobe

1515–25; < Medieval Latin lobus ( Late Latin: hull, husk, pod) < Greek lobós, akin to Latin legula lobe of the ear

Example Sentences

Barbara Sahakian, a neuropsychologist at the University of Cambridge who specialises in ADHD, said the condition affects the brain's frontal lobe, which play a key role in organisation and focus.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

The first lobe finned fish that developed limbs capable of supporting movement on land still relied heavily on aquatic environments.

From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026

“I think there’s something to be said for frontal lobe development,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

In typical cases, the exposure damages the brain’s frontal lobe, which slows cognition, impairs impulse control, restricts dopamine production and affects mood.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

In front of her, on the table, was a small piece of prickly pear cactus, just a corner of a tiny lobe, big enough to have a couple of spines sticking out of it.

From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen