mechanoreceptor

[ mek-uh-noh-ri-sep-ter ]

noun

, Anatomy.

1. any of the sense organs that respond to vibration, stretching, pressure, or other mechanical stimuli.

mechanoreceptor

/ ˌmɛkənəʊrɪˈsɛptə /

noun

1. physiol a sensory receptor, as in the skin, that is sensitive to a mechanical stimulus, such as pressure

Word History and Origins

Origin of mechanoreceptor¹

First recorded in 1925–30; mechano- + receptor

Example Sentences

Using a device called a vibration exciter, Holowka and colleagues assessed the sensitivity of two types of mechanoreceptor, known as Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles, in their volunteers.

From Nature

Holowka and colleagues’ key discovery is probably unexpected, given that one might predict that a thick layer of skin would be a barrier to the transmission of stimuli: mechanoreceptor sensitivity is not lower in habitually barefoot people than in people who usually wear shoes.

From Nature

A skin-inspired organic digital mechanoreceptor.

From Nature