nervous system

[ nur-vuhs sis-tuhm ]
See synonyms for nervous system on Thesaurus.com
nounAnatomy, Zoology.
  1. the system of nerves and nerve centers in an animal or human, including the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and ganglia.

  2. a particular part of this system.

Origin of nervous system

1
First recorded in 1730–40

Words Nearby nervous system

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use nervous system in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nervous system

nervous system

noun
  1. the sensory and control apparatus of all multicellular animals above the level of sponges, consisting of a network of nerve cells: See neurone See also central nervous system

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for nervous system

nervous system

[ nûrvəs ]


  1. The system of neurons and tissues that regulates the actions and responses of vertebrates and many invertebrates. The nervous system of vertebrates is a complex information-processing system that consists mainly of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral and autonomic nerves. It receives chemical information from hormones in the circulating blood and can also regulate secretions of the endocrine system by the action of neurohormones. The nervous systems of invertebrates vary from a simple network of nerves to a complex nerve network under the control of a primitive brain. See also autonomic nervous system central nervous system peripheral nervous system.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for nervous system

nervous system

The system in the body that controls internal functions of the body and receives, interprets, and responds to stimuli. The nervous system is made up of the brain, the spinal cord, the nerves, and the sense organs, such as the eye and ear.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.