3 definitions found for pineal body

pineal body n 1: a small endocrine gland in the brain; situated beneath the back part of the corpus callosum; secretes melatonin [syn: pineal gland, pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis]

pineal body noun see pineal gland

Pineal Pi"ne*al, a. [L. pinea the cone of a pine, from pineus of the pine, from pinus a pine: cf. F. pin['e]ale.] Of or pertaining to a pine cone; resembling a pine cone. Pineal gland (Anat.), a glandlike body in the roof of the third ventricle of the vertebrate brain; -- called also pineal body, epiphysis, conarium. In some animals it is connected with a rudimentary eye, the so-called pineal eye, and in other animals it is supposed to be the remnant of a dorsal median eye.