proprioception

noun

pro·​pri·​o·​cep·​tion ˌprō-prē-ō-ˈsep-shən How to pronounce proprioception (audio)
: the reception of stimuli produced within the organism

Examples of proprioception in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Zoom out: Returning astronauts will also likely experience difficulty with their coordination of movement related to issues with proprioception, the body's ability to sense its own position and movements, Shemer says. Avery Lotz, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025 The brain registers the sloshing and combines it with visual information—such as changing terrain and obstacles—along with sensory signals from the nervous system that detect the body’s position in space, a trick called proprioception. Matt Fuchs, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025 Pollard says her clients with yoga backgrounds tend to have better proprioception and body-awareness (though tai-chi’s balance benefits are more researched). Matt Fuchs, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025 It was tightly integrated with a second neural net that handled proprioception: all the processes that ensured the robot was aware of its position and the movement of its body. Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for proprioception

Word History

Etymology

proprioceptive + -ion

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of proprioception was in 1906

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Cite this Entry

“Proprioception.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proprioception. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

proprioception

noun
pro·​prio·​cep·​tion ˌprō-prē-ō-ˈsep-shən How to pronounce proprioception (audio)
: the reception of stimuli produced within the organism

More from Merriam-Webster on proprioception

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