autonomic nervous system

noun

: a part of the vertebrate nervous system that innervates smooth and cardiac muscle and glandular tissues and governs involuntary actions (such as secretion and peristalsis) and that consists of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system

Examples of autonomic nervous system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mercury overload has also been linked to cardiovascular disease, since heart rhythm and function fall under the control of your autonomic nervous system, per research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 22 Apr. 2025

As Excitement Nervousness feels like excitement because both trigger the autonomic nervous system. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Plus, a cat's purr might help regulate the autonomic nervous system. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025

Researchers aimed to record activity in the hippocampus — the portion of the brain associated with emotions, memory and the autonomic nervous system. —Julianna Bragg, CNN, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for autonomic nervous system

• cryptosystem
• ecosystem
• intersystem
• multisystem
• photosystem
• subsystem

Kids Definition

autonomic nervous system

noun

: the part of the vertebrate nervous system that controls involuntary actions (as heart rate and breathing) and that is made up of the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system

Medical Definition

autonomic nervous system

noun

: a part of the vertebrate nervous system that innervates smooth and cardiac muscle and glandular tissues and governs involuntary actions (as secretion, vasoconstriction, or peristalsis) and that consists of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system

called also vegetative nervous system

compare central nervous system, peripheral nervous system