hypoglossal nerve

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. either one of the twelfth pair of cranial nerves, consisting of motor fibers that innervate the muscles of the tongue.

---

hypoglossal nerve British  

noun

1. the twelfth cranial nerve, which supplies the muscles of the tongue

---

Etymology

Origin of hypoglossal nerve

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

The hypoglossal nerve is responsible for controlling the muscles of the lower throat and tongue.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The hypoglossal nerve is the motor nerve that controls the muscles of the tongue, except for the palatoglossus muscle, which is controlled by the vagus nerve.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Another, the nerve crossover, requires the use of an undamaged nerve�usually the hypoglossal nerve that controls tongue movement�to innervate facial muscles as well.

From Time Magazine Archive

The lingual, external maxillary and superior thyreoid arteries, and the hypoglossal nerve are also liable to be divided at this level, but the main vessels of the neck usually escape.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

It is seen curving round anterior to the hypoglossal nerve, and lying rather deeper in dissection.

From Text Book of Biology, Part 1: Vertebrata by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)