parieto-occipital fissure

9.9

A deep groove near the back of the brain that separates the parietal and occipital lobes

noun
/ˌpærɪˈɛtoʊ ɒkˈsɪpɪtəl ˈfɪʃər/

Specialized

: fisura parieto-occipital

Damage near the parieto-occipital fissure may affect both visual and sensory processing.

Examples

The parieto-occipital fissure can be seen clearly on MRI scans of the brain.
Neurosurgeons take care to avoid the parieto-occipital fissure during certain procedures.
The parieto-occipital fissure is crucial for visual processing.
Doctors study the parieto-occipital fissures in brain scans.
Damage near the parieto-occipital fissure may affect both visual and sensory processing.
Neurosurgeons take care to avoid the parieto-occipital fissure during certain procedures.
The parieto-occipital fissure can be seen clearly on MRI scans of the brain.

Synonyms

parieto-occipital sulcus

vsparieto-occipital fissure

Specialized

9.9

A deep groove near the back of the brain that separates the parietal lobe from the occipital lobe

has identical meaning but is the alternative anatomical name

Surface Forms

parieto-occipital fissure singular

parieto-occipital fissures plural

Morphology

parieto-occipital + fissure

The phrase is compositionally analyzable: 'fissure' clearly means a groove and 'parieto-occipital' indicates the boundary/relation between the parietal and occipital lobes, so the overall meaning is a groove between those lobes. However, the morphemes 'parieto-' and 'occipital' are specialized anatomical terms (and 'parieto-occipital' is a technical combining form) that a B1 learner is unlikely to know, so the transparency is only partial.

Etymology

Parieto-occipital fissure is the deep groove that sits between the parietal and occipital parts at the back of the brain. Because a fissure is a deep split that 'separates' these two areas, you can remember it as the border where damage can affect 'seeing' and 'feeling'.