Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for phrenic. Search instead for phrensied.
Synonyms

phrenic

American  
[fren-ik] / ˈfrɛn ɪk /

adjective

  1. Anatomy. of or relating to the diaphragm.

  2. Physiology. relating to the mind or mental activity.

phrenic British  
/ ˈfrɛnɪk /

adjective

    1. of or relating to the diaphragm

    2. ( as noun )

      the phrenic

  2. obsolete of or relating to the mind

"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

Other Word Forms

  • postphrenic adjective
  • subphrenic adjective

Etymology

Origin of phrenic

From the New Latin word phrenicus, dating back to 1695–1705. See phren-, -ic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Doctors performed a "phrenic nerve block procedure" on Bolsonaro to block his left phrenic nerve, after treating Bolsonaro's right one on Saturday.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

The phrenic nerves contract and expand the diaphragm, which allows the lungs to inhale and exhale.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

After the operation, doctors will assess whether Bolsonaro can undergo an additional procedure: blockage of the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm, for recurrent hiccups, Birolini said.

From Barron's • Dec. 25, 2025

We suspect that gargling and dry sugar both stimulate the phrenic nerve which controls the diaphragm.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 13, 2023

Have you not stimulated my phrenic nerves, besides ruining my digestion with a galvanic current round my stomach?

From The Captain of the Polestar by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.