What is "rhinencephalon"

Rhinencephalon \Rhi`nen*ceph"a*lon\ (r[imac]`n[e^]n*s[e^]f"[.a]*l[o^]n), n.; pl. Rhinencephala (r[imac]`n[e^]n*s[e^]f"[.a]*l[.a]). [NL., fr. Gr. "ri`s, "rino`s, the nose + 'egke`falos the brain.] (Anat.) The division of the brain in front of the prosencephalon, consisting of the two olfactory lobes from which the olfactory nerves arise.

Note: The term is sometimes used for one of the olfactory lobes, the plural being used for the two taken together.

n. (context anatomy English) The part of the brain involved with olfaction.

1. n. a center in the cerebral hemispheres that governs the sense of smell in lower animals; in humans it seems to mediate complex emotional behavior [syn: olfactory brain]

2. [also: rhinencephala (pl)]

In animal anatomy, the rhinencephalon (from the Greek, rhino = "nose", and enkephalon = "brain") or smell-brain is a part of the brain involved with olfaction. In the human brain it is rudimentary.