proprioception

American  

[proh-pree-uh-sep-shuhn] / ˌproʊ pri əˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

Physiology.

1. perception governed by proprioceptors, as awareness of the position of one's body.

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proprioception Scientific  

/ prō′prē-ō-sĕp′shən /

1. The unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. In humans, these stimuli are detected by nerves within the body itself, as well as by the semicircular canals of the inner ear.

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Etymology

Origin of proprioception

First recorded in 1905–10; proprio- + (re)ception

Example Sentences

These include proprioception, which enables us to know where our limbs are without looking at them.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

At my age, he said, my proprioception “batteries are running low,” but I can recharge them with a short break from pickleball and a focus on the pool.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026

Part of the way we understand ourselves is by recognizing our physical body and how it moves through space in a process called proprioception.

From Salon • May 26, 2025

For example, does it perhaps refine an animal’s perception of their own body, a sense known as proprioception?

From Science Magazine • Aug. 15, 2023

It’s doing a lot for my hampered proprioception.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone