Meaning & use
vagi
Last updated
“vagi” is a form of “vagus”.
Meaning
nounpluraltechnicalmedical
The tenth pair of cranial nerves, which run from the brain to the heart, lungs, and digestive organs.
Grammar: Plural form of vagus; the singular vagus is rare outside technical writing, where vagus nerve is more usual.
Patterns
- the vagi
- stimulation of the vagi
The vagi carry signals that slow the heart rate.
Damage to the vagi can affect swallowing and digestion.
Researchers studied how the vagi respond to stress.
Word forms
| singular | vagus |
|---|
Common combinations
- the vagus nerve
- The vagus nerve connects the brainstem to many organs.
- vagal tone
- Slow breathing can raise vagal tone.
- stimulate the vagus
- Doctors sometimes stimulate the vagus to treat epilepsy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- vagus nerves
- The everyday and clinical way to refer to the same structures; vagi is only the Latin plural used in specialist writing.
Word family
- vagal adjective
- Relating to the vagus nerve, as in vagal stimulation.
- vagus noun
- The singular form, naming one of the pair of nerves.
Commonly confused: vagi or vague?
vagi vs vague
Vague means unclear or not precise; vagi is a plural noun for two nerves and sounds different (/veɪɡ/ versus /ˈveɪɡaɪ/).
Practice
Which sentence uses vagi correctly?
Choose one answer.
Vagi is the plural of vagus, a pair of nerves, so it fits a medical sentence about the body. The other options wrongly use it as an adjective or noun meaning 'unclear' or 'idea', which is vague or gist.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “vagi”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.