olfactory nerve

noun

, Anatomy.

1. either one of the first pair of cranial nerves, consisting of sensory fibers that conduct to the brain the impulses from the mucous membranes of the nose.

olfactory nerve

noun

1. either one of the first pair of cranial nerves, supplying the mucous membrane of the nose

olfactory nerve

1. Either of the first pair of cranial nerves that carries sensory information relating to smell from the nose to the brain.

Word History and Origins

Origin of olfactory nerve¹

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

In a preprint study posted last month on bioRxiv, researchers reported using CT scans of skulls of 45 dog breeds to measure a bony structure, the cribriform plate, that is perforated by olfactory nerves.

From Science Magazine

Then, they used those models to measure the area of a bony structure in the skull known as the cribriform plate, which is perforated by olfactory nerves that shuttle scent information to the brain.

From Science Magazine

That inflammation could explain why the samples from the smell-loss group had substantially fewer olfactory nerve cells, the “key cells” for smelling, Goldstein said.

From Seattle Times

Still other researchers study how the virus attacks the olfactory nerve, which conveys smell sensations to the brain.

From Los Angeles Times

The practice was tacitly accepted because it could yield valuable insights — Hunter discovered the tear ducts and the olfactory nerve, among other things — but the human toll was horrifying nonetheless.

From Salon