autonomic nervous system: Meaning and Definition of

au'tonom'ic nerv'ous sys"tem

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the system of nerves and ganglia that innervates the blood vessels, heart, smooth muscles, viscera, and glands and controls their involuntary functions, consisting of sympathetic and parasympathetic portions.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.