English Reference
adjective

neural

adj.
US /ˈnjʊɹəɫ/ UK /njˈuːɹəl/ neu·ral

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    relating to the nerves or the nervous system in your body.

    relating to a nerve or the nervous system in a biological context.

    Simple

    The doctor checked for neural damage after the patient complained of numbness in his arm.

    In context

    The researchers studied the neural pathways responsible for processing visual stimuli in the primary visual cortex.

    Usage

    Usually placed before a noun; non-gradable.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    relating to computer programs that are designed to work like a human brain.

    relating to or denoting artificial intelligence systems modelled on the human brain and nervous system.

    Simple

    A neural network can learn to recognize faces by looking at thousands of photos.

    In context

    The latest translation software utilizes a deep neural network to produce more idiomatic and contextually accurate results.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the compound 'neural network'.

Usage neural networks · neural activity · neural network

These two brain regions are known to be part of neural circuits that support social evaluation and empathy.

Phys.org· 13 Aug 2026

The researchers trained neural networks using videos that showed dye spreading through brain tissue over time.

ScienceDaily· 13 Aug 2026

From Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “a sinew, nerve”) + -al.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Ancient Greek νεῦρον
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated