autonomic

Also au·to·nom·i·cal

[aw-tuh-nom-ik]

adjective

1. autonomous.

2. of or relating to the autonomic nervous system.

3. Physiology.,  under the control of the autonomic nervous system.

4. Cell Biology.,  produced by internal forces or causes; spontaneous.

autonomic

/ ˌɔːtəˈnɒmɪk /

adjective

1. occurring involuntarily or spontaneously

2. of or relating to the autonomic nervous system

3. Also: autonomous. (of plant movements) occurring as a result of internal stimuli

Other Word Forms

• autonomically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of autonomic¹

First recorded in 1825–35; autonom(y) + -ic

Example Sentences

It's part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls things we don't think about, like breathing, heart rate and digestion.

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When you see green trees, smell pine and hear gentle rustling leaves or the sound of birdsong, your autonomic nervous system - a network of nerves controlling unconscious processes - responds instantly.

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The heart has long been thought to be controlled solely by the autonomic nervous system, which transmits signals from the brain.

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"However, these results provide early evidence that the autonomic nervous system may be a therapeutic target for disease modification of HD."

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Music can activate our autonomic nervous system and even cause shivers down the spine.

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Related Words

• autonomous 
• nonpartisan 
• self-reliant 
• self-sufficient 
• separate 
• sovereign