Phrase guide

parasympathetic nervous system

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One of the divisions of the autonomic nervous system, based between the brain and the spinal cord, that slows the heart and relaxes muscles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, neuroanatomy, neurology, neuroscience, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

originates in the brain stem and lower part of the spinal cord; opposes physiological effects of the sympathetic nervous system: stimulates digestive secretions; slows the heart; constricts the pupils; dilates blood vessels

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parasympathetic

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: nervous system, systema nervosum

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: parasympatická nervová soustava — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Finnish: parasympaattinen hermosto — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Finnish: parasympatikus — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Greek: παρασυμπαθητικό νευρικό σύστημα (parasympathitikó nevrikó sýstima) — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Hungarian: paraszimpatikus idegrendszer — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Icelandic: seftaugakerfi — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Icelandic: parasympatíska taugakerfi — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Japanese: 副交感神経系 (fukukōkan shinkeikei) — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Northern Kurdish: sîstema parasîmpasawî — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Northern Kurdish: beşa parasîmpasawî — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Romanian: sistem nervos parasimpatic — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Spanish: sistema nervioso parasimpático — parasympathetic nervous system
  • Swedish: parasympatiska nervsystemet — parasympathetic nervous system