central nervous system

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noun

the part of the nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord.

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Also called cerebrospinal nervous system.

Origin of central nervous system

First recorded in 1890–95

Words nearby central nervous system

centralized, Central Karoo, central limit theorem, central locking, central moment, central nervous system, Central Park, Central Powers, central processing unit, central projection, Central Provinces

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use central nervous system in a sentence

The UCSD team’s experiments, published in 2001, showed that the central nervous systems of developing mouse embryos did not contain perfect genetic copies.
The quest to learn if our brain’s mutations affect mental health|Roxanne Khamsi|August 25, 2021|MIT Technology Review
The discovery of a 310-million-year-old horseshoe crab in the US, complete with its brain intact, adds to a recent string of fossil finds which have unearthed some of the oldest arthropods with a preserved central nervous system.
Ancient Brains: Inside the Extraordinary Preservation of a 310-Million-Year-Old Nervous System|John Paterson|July 30, 2021|Singularity Hub
When you stretch, these cells send a signal to the neurons within the muscle to tell the central nervous system that you’ve gone too far.
You can injure yourself stretching—but it’s not easy|empire|July 8, 2021|Popular-Science
After all, Dethier notes, such attacks haven’t been documented even in urchin barrens, where food is scarce,And the urchin attacks can’t be intentional, she adds, since the animals don’t have a brain or central nervous system.
Urchin mobs can literally dis-arm a predator|Jake Buehler|June 29, 2021|Science News For Students

Speed is important because if their body temperature stays sky-high for too long, it could damage their central nervous system, impair brain function, and even cause organ failure.
Know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. One can kill you quickly.|John Kennedy|June 28, 2021|Popular-Science
It drains your body of nutrients and vitamins, attacking the central nervous system and leaving you in a dehydrated, hazy state.
History's Craziest Hangover Cures|Justin Jones|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They provide fuel for the central nervous system, which helps with mental energy for long and tough workouts.
Carbs 101: The Truth About Carbohydrates|DailyBurn|January 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They stimulate the central nervous system like methamphetamines, plus cause hallucinations, and even psychosis.
What’s the Deal With Bath Salts? FAQ on the Designer Drug|Gregory Gilderman|May 31, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It numbs the central nervous system, “like anesthesia,” says Dr. Ghajar.
Can You Prevent a Hangover?|Casey Schwartz|December 31, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Peter Hartwell is a distinguished technologist and the lead on HP Labs Central Nervous System for the Earth project (CeNSE).
Sensing Our Planet|Daily Beast Promotions|October 20, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The organs of nervous control: the central nervous system, which has control of cordinated movement.
A Civic Biology|George William Hunter
Other axons originate in the central nervous system and pass outward as nerves producing movement of muscles.
A Civic Biology|George William Hunter
Inside is a complicated nerve ending, and axons pass inward to the central nervous system.
A Civic Biology|George William Hunter
At the base of these hairs are found neurones which send axons inward to the central nervous system.
A Civic Biology|George William Hunter
We further learn that the nerves are out-growths of the central nervous system.
The Works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 1|Francis Maitland Balfour

British Dictionary definitions for central nervous system

central nervous system

noun

the mass of nerve tissue that controls and coordinates the activities of an animal. In vertebrates it consists of the brain and spinal cordAbbreviation: CNS Compare autonomic nervous system

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for central nervous system

central nervous system

The part of the nervous system in vertebrate animals that consists of the brain and spinal cord. Compare peripheral nervous system.

Cultural definitions for central nervous system

central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord. (See nervous system).