olfactory nerve

noun

: either of the pair of nerves that are the first cranial nerves and that arise in the olfactory neurosensory cells of the nasal mucous membrane and pass to the anterior part of the cerebrum

Examples of olfactory nerve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Connecting the olfactory bulb and the nasal cavity is the olfactory nerve. —Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2024

Those molecules stimulate olfactory nerves, and the signals are processed in the brain as smell. —Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2024

Although rare, amoebas such as Naegleria fowleri — larger than the size of the microplastics found in the study — can get into the brain through the olfactory nerve. —Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2024

Humans have two olfactory bulbs located in the forebrain, which are connected to each nasal cavity by the olfactory nerve. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2024

The signals from your olfactory nerves go to your brain and light up some neurons, and the signals from your mouth light up some neurons. —Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 2 July 2024

Naegleria fowleri enters your body through the nose, crosses the epithelial lining and then makes a beeline up the olfactory nerve to the frontal part of the brain. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 3 Oct. 2023

The olfactory nerve also sends signals to the parts of the brain responsible for emotions and memories (amygdala and hippocampus, respectively). —Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 15 Aug. 2023

Even outside of the brain, the thin and wispy olfactory nerve is charged with shuttling information from the nose and mouth to the brain. —Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 23 Sep. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for olfactory nerve

• conserve
• deserve
• manoeuvre
• observe
• preserve
• reserve
• subserve
• curve
• mirv
• serve
• swerve
• verve

Kids Definition

olfactory nerve

noun

: either of a pair of sensory nerves that are the first cranial nerves, arise in the nose, and carry odor stimuli to the brain by way of the olfactory bulb

Medical Definition

olfactory nerve

noun

: either of the pair of nerves that are the first cranial nerves, that serve to conduct sensory stimuli from the olfactory organ to the brain, and that arise from the olfactory cells as discrete bundles of unmyelinated fibers passing in small groups (in humans, about 20) through the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone and terminating in the olfactory bulb

called also first cranial nerve