pons

(pänz)

noun pl. pontes

Anat., Zool. a piece of connecting tissue; specif., the bridge of white matter at the base of the brain, containing neural connections between the cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata

Origin: ModL < L, bridge < IE base *pent-, to step, go > find

See pons in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. pon·tes (pŏnˈtēz)
  1. A slender tissue joining two parts of an organ.
  2. A band of nerve fibers on the ventral surface of the brain stem that links the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum with upper portions of the brain. Also called pons Varolii.

Origin:

Origin: Latin pōns, bridge; see pent- in Indo-European roots

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French-born American operatic soprano. She was a principal soprano with the Metropolitan Opera from 1931 to 1961.

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