photoreceptor

[ foh-toh-ri-sep-ter ]

nounPhysiology, Biology.
  1. a receptor stimulated by light.

Origin of photoreceptor

1
First recorded in 1905–10; photo- + receptor

Words Nearby photoreceptor

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How to use photoreceptor in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for photoreceptor

photoreceptor

/ (ˌfəʊtəʊrɪˈsɛptə) /


noun
  1. zoology physiol a light-sensitive cell or organ that conveys impulses through the sensory neuron connected to it

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for photoreceptor

photoreceptor

[ fō′tō-rĭ-sĕptər ]


  1. A specialized structure or cell that is sensitive to light. In vertebrate animals, the photoreceptors are the rods and cones of the eye's retina. See Note at circadian rhythm.

  2. An electronic device that converts light energy into electrical signals. Photoreceptors are used in photocopy and facsimile machines, cameras, and solar cells.

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