sensillum

American  

[sen-sil-uhm] / sɛnˈsɪl əm /

noun

sensilla plural

1. Zoology. a simple sense organ usually consisting of one or a few cells at the peripheral end of a sensory nerve fiber.

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sensillum British  

/ sɛnˈsɪləm /

noun

1. a sense organ in insects, typically consisting of a receptor organ in the integument connected to sensory neurons

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sensilla
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sensillum

< New Latin (1895), equivalent to Latin sēns-, past participle stem of sentīre to sense + -ilum diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sensilla

So they used laser microscopy, which revealed sensory hairs or sensilla of various shapes: curved or straight, thick or thin, sticking out or lying flat.

From Science Magazine ● Jun. 13, 2024

“Modern ants use those sensilla for a gazillion other things,” says Daniel Kronauer, a myrmecologist at Rockefeller University who was not involved in the study.

From Science Magazine ● Jun. 13, 2024

Females detect the vibrations using exoskeletal sensory structures called "slit sensilla," which are basically cracks covered by a strain-sensitive membrane.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 22, 2011