mechanoreceptor

[ mek-uh-noh-ri-sep-ter ]

noun

, Anatomy.

1. any of the sense organs that respond to vibration, stretching, pressure, or other mechanical stimuli.

mechanoreceptor

/ ˌmɛkənəʊrɪˈsɛptə /

noun

1. physiol a sensory receptor, as in the skin, that is sensitive to a mechanical stimulus, such as pressure

Word History and Origins

Origin of mechanoreceptor¹

First recorded in 1925–30; mechano- + receptor

Example Sentences

While the precise purpose of the stinger’s smell receptors is still to be understood, tests have shown that the mechanoreceptors make it a precisely calibrated measuring instrument.

From MIT Technology Review