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
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Signals from the olfactory nerve, the shortest nerve with the quickest signal time, get to bypass the brain stem and go straight to the hippocampus and amygdala. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Oct. 2026 Essential oils release tiny molecules that drift into the nose, where olfactory receptors pick them up and pass signals along the olfactory nerve. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026 The olfactory nerve is so tied to the brain’s limbic system, including the amygdala and hippocampus, that the merest whiff can trigger a powerful rush of memories. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2026 Rather than activating the olfactory nerve, the system stimulates the trigeminal nerve, a sensory pathway in the nasal cavity responsible for conveying touch, temperature, and irritation. — New Atlas, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for olfactory nerve

Word History

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of olfactory nerve was in 1670

Rhymes for olfactory nerve

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Browse Nearby Words

olfactory lobe
olfactory nerve
-olic
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Cite this Entry

“Olfactory nerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/olfactory%20nerve. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on olfactory nerve

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about olfactory nerve

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