nerve root

[ nurv root, root ]

noun

, Anatomy.

1. a nerve fiber bundle that emerges from either side of the spinal cord and joins with a complementary bundle to form each spinal nerve in the series of spinal nerves: the root at the rear of the spinal cord dorsal root, or sensory root conveys sensations to the central nervous system, and the root at the front ventral root, or motor root conveys impulses to the muscles.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nerve root¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

As the paper’s other co-senior author Jocelyne Bloch puts it, “The pain electrode arrays are shorter and narrower, they were not designed to specifically target each individual nerve root to activate precisely and specifically the trunk and leg muscles.”

From Scientific American

Finally, after several visits to specialists, the cause was identified in January and a cyst along the nerve root in his lower back was removed in early February.

From New York Times

We hear exacting descriptions about how much blood should be seeping into a sponge and how much is—way, way too much—and about an amputated nerve root, and a screw being inserted into muscle tissue, not bone.

From The New Yorker

To take his spot on the 25-man roster the Nationals activated veteran right-handed reliever Ryan Madson, who had been on the disabled list since August 14 with lumbar nerve root irritation.

From Washington Times

In this case, doctors practiced nerve root blocks and other procedures on cadavers in one of the Grand Harbor ballroom’s salons at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts convention center.

From Reuters