Pavlov

American  

[pav-lov, -lawf, pah-vluhf] / ˈpæv lɒv, -lɔf, ˈpɑ vləf /

noun

1. Ivan Petrovich 1849–1936, Russian physiologist: Nobel Prize in medicine 1904.

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Pavlov British  

/ ˈpavləf, ˈpævlɒv /

noun

1. Ivan Petrovich (iˈvan pɪˈtrɔvitʃ). 1849–1936, Russian physiologist. His study of conditioned reflexes in dogs influenced behaviourism. He also made important contributions to the study of digestion: Nobel prize for physiology or medicine 1904

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Pavlov Scientific  

/ păv′lôv′,-lôf′ /

1. Russian physiologist who studied the digestive system of dogs, investigating the nervous control of salivation and the role of enzymes. His experiments showed that if a bell is rung whenever food is presented to a dog, the dog will eventually salivate when it hears the bell, even if no food is presented. This demonstration of what is known as a conditioned response prompted later scientific studies of human and animal behavior.

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Example Sentences

Pavlov said the findings are encouraging for NASA's Europa Clipper mission, which will study Europa's ice shell and subsurface ocean.

From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2026

All the subjects took turns in an MRI machine, where the researchers induced auditory hallucinations with classical conditioning, following the example of Pavlov and his dogs.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2025

Prominent human rights lawyer Ivan Pavlov told AP the pressure has scared some attorneys away from political cases.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 6, 2024

Five were wounded and couldn't walk, including paramedic Ivan Zhytnyk, sniper Georgiy Pavlov and anti-tank fighter Andriy Dubnytsky.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2024

He replied to Pavlov that he could not debase his own standards of sportsmanship and would see the match through despite Fischer’s outrageous conduct.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady