Meaning & use
Phrenic
Last updated
Relating to the diaphragm, especially the phrenic nerve that controls its movement.
See it in a sentence
Damage to the phrenic nerve can severely impair a person's ability to breathe.
Surgeons take care to avoid the phrenic nerve during procedures near the neck.
A note on using this word
From Greek phren, meaning both 'diaphragm' and, in ancient thought, 'mind', reflecting an old belief that the diaphragm was the seat of emotion and intellect.
Words with a similar meaning
diaphragmatic
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