cranial nerve

cra·ni·al nerve

C c

Definitions of cranial nerve words

noun cranial nerve any of the 12 paired nerves that have their origin in the brain and reach the periphery through natural openings in the skull 3
noun cranial nerve a peripheral nerve coming from the brainstem: many animals, including humans, have twelve pairs of such nerves, including the olfactory, optic, trigeminal, facial, and auditory nerves 3
noun cranial nerve any of the nerves arising from the brainstem and exiting to the periphery of the head through skull openings, including 10 pairs in fish and amphibians and 12 pairs in reptiles, birds, and mammals: in humans, these are the abducens nerve, accessory nerve, auditory nerve, facial nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, hypoglossal nerve, oculomotor nerve, olfactory nerve, optic nerve, trigeminal nerve, trochlear nerve, and vagus nerve. 1
noun cranial nerve (neuroanatomy) Any of the twelve paired nerves that originate from the brainstem instead of the spinal cord. 0

before 1830

One of the 36% newest English words

First recorded in 1830-40

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This term is known only to a narrow circle of people with rare knowledge. Only 7% of English native speakers know the meaning of this word.

According to our data most of word are more popular. This word is almost not used. It has a much more popular synonym.

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