nervous system

noun

: the bodily system that in vertebrates is made up of the brain and spinal cord, nerves, ganglia, and parts of the receptor organs and that receives and interprets stimuli and transmits impulses to the effector organs see autonomic nervous system, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system

Examples of nervous system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The theory identifies nervous system regulation, emotional stability and values alignment as upstream conditions that influence downstream judgment, decision integrity and behavioral consistency. — Dr Natalie Callis, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

These passages seem unparalleled in literature and somehow bypass the brain to jolt the nervous system directly. — Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026

While jellyfish, an even more remote species, have two nervous systems, the findings suggest these two organs may have slowly grown close to each other. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 Sep. 2026

So if cells in the head make a different collection of signaling molecules from those in the tail, this can transfer positional information to the developing nervous system, telling it where to form the brain and where to form the spinal cord. — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nervous system

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

Kids Definition

nervous system

noun

: the bodily system that receives stimuli, decides on their importance, and sends nerve impulses to the organs of action and that in vertebrates is made up of brain and spinal cord, nerves, ganglia, and parts of the receptor organs

Medical Definition

nervous system

noun

: the bodily system that in vertebrates is made up of the brain and spinal cord, nerves, ganglia, and parts of the receptor organs and that receives and interprets stimuli and transmits impulses to the effector organs see autonomic nervous system, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system