facial nerve

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. either one of the seventh pair of cranial nerves composed of motor fibers that control muscles of the face except those used in chewing.

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facial nerve British  

noun

1. the seventh cranial nerve, supplying the muscles controlling facial expression, glands of the palate and nose, and the taste buds in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue

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Etymology

Origin of facial nerve

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

Doctors determined the symptoms were a result of swelling of a facial nerve, “most likely caused by a post-viral infection,” she said.

From Washington Times • Jul. 31, 2023

One side of her face was drooping, apparently from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which can occur when the shingles virus reaches a facial nerve near the ears.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 19, 2023

RHS is when a shingles outbreak affects the facial nerve near someone's ears, resulting in paralysis of parts of the face as well as blisters in the ears and on the roof of the mouth.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2023

Even so, the cancer cells in her facial nerve had to have come from someplace.

From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2022

In addition, the doctor who had repaired my facial nerve installed a tiny electronic sound transmitter called a cochlear implant deep behind my ear.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai