vagus nerve

Save This Word!

noun, plural vagus nerves.Anatomy.

either one of the tenth pair of cranial nerves, consisting of motor fibers that innervate the muscles of the pharynx, larynx, heart, and thoracic and abdominal viscera, and of sensory fibers that conduct impulses from these structures to the brain.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"

"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of vagus nerve

First recorded in 1830–40

Words nearby vagus nerve

vagrant's disease, vagrom, vague, vaguely, vagus, vagus nerve, vagus pulse, Váh, vahana, vahine, vail

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use vagus nerve in a sentence

Neuroscientist Steven Porges, who developed “polyvagal theory,” says diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which triggers the body’s relaxation response.
Anxiety Feels Terrible, But it Has an Upside. Here's How to Make it Work in Your Favor|Juli Fraga|October 28, 2021|Time
The brain needs calories to operate, and chemical messengers travel back and forth between your gut and brain via the vagus nerve triggering all sorts of functions, from hormone production to cognition.
Why Psychiatrists Are Prescribing Food|abarronian|October 21, 2021|Outside Online
Stimulating the vagus nerve can also serve to quiet activity in the cortex, the outer rind of the brain where the vast majority of seizures begin.
How to Unlearn a Disease - Issue 103: Healthy Communication|Kelly Clancy|July 14, 2021|Nautilus
However, Ma and team said, the vagus nerve might serve a similar function.
We Need New, Safer Ways to Treat Pain. Could Electroacupuncture Be One?|Shelly Fan|August 18, 2020|Singularity Hub

Few have the nerve to call him and he's usually pleased when an old friend does.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then he lost his nerve and decided to live after all, and I called for help.
A Million Ways to Die in Prison|Daniel Genis|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“But bringing it to New York was a bit nerve-wracking,” he admits.
This Fashion World Darling Is Homeless|Erica Wagner|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For anyone—not just a fan—the first time performing on camera can be nerve wracking.
Sotheby’s for Sex: The Problem with Auctioning Off Sex with A Porn Star|Aurora Snow|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was a perky redhead of about 30 with lively blue eyes, a petite figure, and lots of nerve.
Gay Talese on Charlie Manson’s Home on the Range|Gay Talese|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was Carmena, every nerve of her loyal nature on the alert to baffle this pursuer of Alessandro and Ramona.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
To add point to this success, he knew that the victor of Montebello was straining every nerve to gain this very prize.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
I hadn't the nerve to stand there and tell her she'd never see her father again this side of the pearly gates.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
It was a hair-raising problem, too, and called for every ounce of nerve and every particle of skill the boy possessed.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews
This time it was really Mr. Bills, and Mrs. Biggs went out to meet him, while Eloise felt every nerve quiver with dread.
The Cromptons|Mary J. Holmes

Medical definitions for vagus nerve

vagus nerve

Either of the tenth pair cranial nerves that originate from the medulla oblongata and supply multiple vital organs, including the lungs, heart, and gastrointestinal viscera.pneumogastric nerve tenth cranial nerve

Scientific definitions for vagus nerve

vagus nerve

[ vā′gəs ]

Either of the tenth pair of cranial nerves that carries motor impulses from the brain to many major organs. The vagus nerve controls the muscles of the larynx (voice box), stimulates digestion, and regulates the heartbeat.