CRANIAL NERVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cranial nerve mean? 

• CRANIAL NERVE (noun)
  The noun CRANIAL NERVE has 1 sense:

1. any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem

  Familiarity information: CRANIAL NERVE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CRANIAL NERVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("cranial nerve" is a kind of...):

nerve; nervus (any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cranial nerve"):

first cranial nerve; nervii olfactorii; olfactory nerve (a collective term for numerous olfactory filaments in the nasal mucosa)

nervus opticus; optic nerve; optic tract; second cranial nerve (the cranial nerve that serves the retina)

nervus oculomotorius; oculomotor; oculomotor nerve; third cranial nerve (supplies extrinsic muscles of the eye)

fourth cranial nerve; trochlear; trochlear nerve; trochlearis (either of the two cranial nerves on either side that control the superior oblique muscles of the eyes)

fifth cranial nerve; nervus trigeminus; trigeminal; trigeminal nerve; trigeminus (the main sensory nerve of the face and motor nerve for the muscles of mastication)

abducens; abducens nerve; abducent; abducent nerve; nervus abducens; sixth cranial nerve (a small motor nerve supplying the lateral rectus muscle of the eye)

facial; facial nerve; nervus facialis; seventh cranial nerve (cranial nerve that supplies facial muscles)

acoustic nerve; auditory nerve; eighth cranial nerve; nervus vestibulocochlearis; vestibulocochlear nerve (a composite sensory nerve supplying the hair cells of the vestibular organ and the hair cells of the cochlea)

glossopharyngeal nerve; nervus glossopharyngeus; ninth cranial nerve (sensory nerve to the pharynx and back of the tongue; motor fibers innervate muscles that elevate the pharynx and larynx; includes parasympathetic fibers to the otic ganglion)

nervus vagus; pneumogastric; pneumogastric nerve; tenth cranial nerve; vagus; vagus nerve; wandering nerve (a mixed nerve that supplies the pharynx and larynx and lungs and heart and esophagus and stomach and most of the abdominal viscera)

accessory nerve; eleventh cranial nerve; nervus accessorius; spinal accessory (arises from two sets of roots (cranial and spinal) that unite to form the nerve)

hypoglossal; hypoglossal nerve; nervus hypoglosus; twelfth cranial nerve (supplies intrinsic muscles of the tongue and other tongue muscles)

 Context examples 

Benign and malignant neoplasms which arise from or metastasize to the olfactory or first cranial nerve.

(Olfactory Nerve Neoplasm, NCI Thesaurus)

Though known as the second cranial nerve, it is considered part of the central nervous system.

(Murine Optic Nerve, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A disorder characterized by involvement of the olfactory nerve (first cranial nerve).

(Olfactory Nerve Disorder, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

A neoplastic or non-neoplastic disorder that affects one of the cranial nerves.

(Cranial Nerve Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

A very rare congenital syndrome affecting the sixth and seventh cranial nerves.

(Mobius Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

A disorder characterized by involvement of the glossopharyngeal nerve (ninth cranial nerve).

(Glossopharyngeal Nerve Disorder, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

A non-neoplastic or neoplastic disorder affecting the optic nerve (second cranial nerve).

(Optic Nerve Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

A disorder characterized by involvement of the facial nerve (seventh cranial nerve).

(Facial Nerve Disorder, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

A cranial nerve that supplies motor impulses to the lateral rectus muscle of the eye.

(Abducens Nerve, NCI Thesaurus)

A non-neoplastic or neoplastic disorder affecting the glossopharyngeal nerve (ninth cranial nerve).

(Glossopharyngeal Nerve Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)