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Glite Dictionary
tenth cranial nerve

tenth cranial nerve

7.2
A nerve that helps control heart, breathing, voice, and how the body breaks down food
  • noun
  • /tɛnθ ˈkreɪniəl nɜrv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : décimo nervio craneal
  • The tenth cranial nerve plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate and digestion.

Examples

  • Damage to the tenth cranial nerve can lead to difficulties with swallowing and speech.

  • Doctors examined the patient's tenth cranial nerve function as part of the neurological assessment.

  • The tenth cranial nerve is essential for heart rate regulation.

  • Damage to the tenth cranial nerve can lead to swallowing difficulties.

  • Damage to the tenth cranial nerve can lead to difficulties with swallowing and speech.

  • Doctors examined the patient's tenth cranial nerve function as part of the neurological assessment.

  • The tenth cranial nerve plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate and digestion.

Synonyms

vagus
vstenth cranial nerve
  • Specialized
3 8.9

A nerve in the chest and belly that helps control the heart, lungs, and digestion

means the same but is just another name for the same nerve
vagus nerve
vstenth cranial nerve
  • Specialized
2 5.5

A long thin part of the body that sends signals from the brain to the heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines

means the same but is just another name for the same nerve
wandering nerve
vstenth cranial nerve
  • Specialized
7.7

A nerve that sends signals to the heart, lungs, stomach, and throat

means the same but is just another name for the same nerve
pneumogastric nerve
vstenth cranial nerve
  • Archaic
7.2

A nerve that connects the brain to the voice box, heart, and stomach

means the same but is just another name for the same nerve
nervus vagus
vstenth cranial nerve
  • Specialized
8.2

A nerve that helps control the throat, heart, lungs, and stomach

means the same but is just another name for the same nerve
pneumogastric
vstenth cranial nerve
  • Archaic
9.9

A main nerve that connects the brain to the heart, lungs, and stomach

means the same but is just another name for the same nerve

Surface Forms

tenth cranial nerve singular
tenth cranial nerves plural

Morphology

10th + cranial + nerve

The phrase is fully compositional: 'tenth' gives ordinal position, 'cranial' relates it to the skull/cranial nerves, and 'nerve' is literal. A B1 learner who knows these constituents can infer it refers to the tenth cranial nerve (even if they might not know its technical name 'vagus' or detailed functions).

Etymology

The name tenth cranial nerve simply marks it as the tenth nerve that comes from the brain. It is also called the vagus nerve from a word meaning 'wandering', because it wanders down into the chest and belly to reach the heart, lungs and stomach, which is why it helps control many organs.