Meaning & use
amygdala
A small, almond-shaped cluster of neurons in the brain that plays a key role in processing emotions, especially fear.
See it in a sentence
When she heard the loud crash, her amygdala triggered an instant fear response.
Researchers study the amygdala to understand how the brain reacts to threatening situations.
A note on using this word
The word is pronounced uh-MIG-duh-luh; it comes from the Greek word for almond, describing its shape.
Words with a similar meaning
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