sensor

American  

[sen-sawr, -ser] / ˈsɛn sɔr, -sər /

noun

• sensors
  plural

1. a mechanical device sensitive to light, temperature, radiation level, or the like, that transmits a signal to a measuring or control instrument.

2. a sense organ.

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sensor British  

/ ˈsɛnsə /

noun

1. anything, such as a photoelectric cell, that receives a signal or stimulus and responds to it

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sensors
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of sensor

First recorded in 1925–30; sense + -or ²

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Explanation

An electronic device that measures changes in a physical quality (like light or temperature) is a sensor. Your kitchen smoke alarm has a sensor that detects the smoky evidence of your badly burned toast. Sensors, these tiny gadgets that detect a physical property, note any changes in it, and convey a message about it electronically, are found just about everywhere. They detect the presence of carbon monoxide in your house, tell you what the temperature is, and help drivers back up safely, alerting them of any obstacles. Smartphones themselves contain many sensors — detecting vibration, tilt, magnetic fields, and more. Sensor comes from a Latin root meaning "perceive or feel."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sensor sensors

In April, Leica announced a deal with China’s Gpixel Microelectronics to develop its first proprietary sensor for its future lines of digital cameras.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

But video, audio, sensor and radar data and more are recorded in Delta in a decentralized way—and from top to bottom in the military chain, users can see the underlying proof.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Each person wore a light sensor on their wrist for seven days, allowing researchers to measure how much light they were exposed to during the night.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

"You can do multidimensional magnetic sensing with one sensor only. Before, you needed to put two sensors to measure the magnetic field in two directions."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

“Well, that’s different,” Regan muttered as she started pulling off her own probes and sticking them back on the sensor plate in front of us.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

"Yes, soldiers from the Home Guard found videos from the vehicles' sensors stored in their systems," Lieutenant Colonel Per Gunnar Grosberghaugen, Norwegian Home Guard spokesperson, confirmed to AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

The driverless tractor-trailers rely on several cameras and sensors mounted at the front and sides that include radar and lidar equipment to help determine what’s on the road.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

But fitting dozens of motors and sensors into a human-shaped metal frame is a complex and expensive engineering challenge.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

The same principles could support smaller optical sensors capable of identifying chemicals or biological substances without requiring large, sophisticated laboratory instruments.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

That response may linger on the face for just a fraction of a second or be detectable only if electrical sensors are attached to the face.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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