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

Etymology

Origin of sensor

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

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

The unwanted beam copies, called grating lobes, can confuse the sensor and generate false detections.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

And if you think that’s crazy, please know there is also a sensor inside the ball which can feel human hair.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Crumbling cliffs loom over more than 530 miles of the California coast, and the cost of establishing a statewide sensor network would be significant.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

The other measures electrical signals in the gut using sensor pads on the abdomen.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

This will require someone to set off the body sensor mechanism.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

The inquiry had previously heard "grave concerns" expressed about the widespread use of Oxevision technology, which monitors patients in their rooms using infrared sensors and cameras.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Analog semiconductors are used for sensors, power management and amplification, making them particularly important for data center and industrial uses.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

MIT researchers have now developed an approach that could lead to smaller, more durable lidar sensors that operate without any moving parts.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

They are also important to semiconductor manufacturing, artificial-intelligence infrastructure, aerospace systems, electric vehicles, satellites, fiber optics, advanced sensors and emerging energy technologies—the tools by which free societies defend themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

What about guns with sensors in the handles that could detect if you were angry, and if you were, they wouldn’t fire, even if you were a police officer?

From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer