central nervous system

American  

noun

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

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central nervous system British  

noun

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

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central nervous system Scientific  

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

2. Compare peripheral nervous system

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central nervous system Cultural  

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

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Etymology

Origin of central nervous system

First recorded in 1890–95

Compare meaning

How does central-nervous-system compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• central nervous system vs. peripheral nervous system

Example Sentences

Following the rise of commercial web browsers in the 1990s, the internet erased the constraints of geography and became the central nervous system of the global economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

In the brain, for example, microglia, which are the macrophages of the central nervous system, may become senescent in conditions like Alzheimer's disease as they encounter large amounts of cellular debris.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

Platts said while most people associate radiation with cancer risk, it also can impact the central nervous system and blood circulation.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

"Seeing both central nervous system changes in brain scans and systemic changes in blood chemistry underscores that these mind-body practices are acting on a whole-body scale."

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

Get too much of it and you can irreparably damage the brain and central nervous system.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson