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nociceptor
noun
no·ci·cep·tor
ˌnō-si-ˈsep-tər
: a receptor (as in the skin) for nociceptive stimuli : a pain sense organ
Examples of nociceptor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Until fairly recently, itch was considered a form of mild pain arising from the weak activation of nociceptors or pain receptors.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 19 July 2024
However, under some circumstances, the nociceptor activation threshold can be lowered.
—Jennifer Chesak, Verywell Health, 24 June 2024
But even here, there are differences separating species: What does the nervous system do with signals from its nociceptors?
—Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy Gabra Zackman Emma Kehlbeck Lance Neal, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
Scientists have established that fish do have nociceptors.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2023
One is the presence of nociceptors—neurons that respond to painful stimuli from the outside world.
—WIRED, 16 Mar. 2023
James Rose, an avid angler and professor emeritus of zoology at the University of Wyoming, has claimed fish don’t possess a human-like capacity for pain because our nociceptors—neural cells that transmit pain reflexively—are different.
—Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 15 Mar. 2023
At the anatomical level, fish have neurons known as nociceptors, which detect potential harm, such as high temperatures, intense pressure, and caustic chemicals.
—Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
Acute pain begins with nociceptors—long neurons that originate in the spinal cord and end as thin fibers in the skin.
—Erika Hayasaki, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2017
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Word History
Etymology
noci- (in nociceptive) + (re)ceptor
First Known Use
1906, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near nociceptor
Cite this Entry
“Nociceptor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nociceptor. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
Medical Definition
nociceptor
noun
no·ci·cep·tor
-ˈsep-tər
: a receptor for injurious or painful stimuli : a pain sense organ
More from Merriam-Webster on nociceptor
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nociceptor
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