vagus nerve

noun

va·​gus nerve ˈvā-gəs- 

: either of the 10th pair of cranial nerves that arise from the medulla oblongata and supply chiefly the viscera especially with autonomic sensory and motor fibers

called also vagus

Examples of vagus nerve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sensate delivers low-frequency vibrations and audio to the chest, marketed around the vagus nerve. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026

Harvard Health has published a critical take on Apollo Neuro, and Medscape has cautioned about at-home vagus nerve stimulation devices, warning of uncertain efficacy and safety. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026

Deep breathing activates the vagus nerve, a key part of the nervous system that helps the body relax. — Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 30 June 2026

By the time LivaNova launched a pivotal trial for its vagus nerve stimulator to treat heart failure in 2018, similar devices had shown mixed results. — Katie Palmer, STAT, 24 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin vagus nervus, literally, "wandering nerve,"; so called from its multiplicity of connecting points in the neck, thorax, and abdomen — more at vague

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for vagus nerve

• conserve
• deserve
• manoeuvre
• observe
• preserve
• reserve
• subserve
• curve
• mirv
• serve
• swerve
• verve

Medical Definition

vagus nerve

noun

: either of the tenth pair of cranial nerves that arise from the medulla and supply chiefly the viscera especially with autonomic sensory and motor fibers

called also pneumogastric nerve, tenth cranial nerve, vagus