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vagus nerve

noun va·gus nerve \ ˈvā-gəs- \

Definition of vagus nerve

: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

Origin and Etymology of vagus nerve

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1856

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

vagus nerve

noun

medical Definition of vagus nerve

: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

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See words that rhyme with vagus nerve Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vagus nerve

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