sciatic nerve

noun

, Anatomy.

1. either of a pair of nerves, the largest in the body, that originate in the sacral plexus of the lower back and extend down the buttocks to the back of the knees, where they divide into other nerves: the sciatic nerve and its branches innervate large areas of the pelvis, leg, and foot.

sciatic nerve

/ sī-ăt′ĭk /

1. A thick nerve that arises in the lower part of the spine and passes through the pelvis on its way to the back of the leg. It carries sensory information from the leg to the central nervous system and controls the action of many muscles. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sciatic nerve¹

First recorded in 1735–45

Example Sentences

A glute strain began affecting his sciatic nerve and the pain left Bosa unable to do anything except lie on an exercise ball in the fetal position for hours.

From Los Angeles Times

Using mouse antibodies that glom on to proteasomes, and other methods, the investigators found the proteasomes on the surface of neurons in the spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, sciatic nerve and peripheral nerves innervating skin.

From Science Daily

VA doctors told him they didn’t want to risk surgery to remove the shrapnel because it was too close to his sciatic nerve.

From Seattle Times

According to a study published in Nature Materials, the researchers showed the material can be used to precisely stimulate neurons remotely and to bridge the gap in a broken sciatic nerve in a rat model.

From Science Daily

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, and the irritation of that nerve that causes the pain better known as sciatica is usually a result of pressure from the bony spinal column.

From New York Times