receptor
receptor Lexical Profile
receptor Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A specialized cell, organ, or sensory nerve ending that responds to external or internal stimuli (such as light, heat, pressure, or sound) and transmits a signal to a sensory nerve.
"When you touch a hot stove, pain receptors in your skin immediately send warning signals to your brain."
A protein molecule located on the surface of or within a cell that recognizes and binds to a specific chemical substance, such as a hormone, neurotransmitter, antigen, or drug, initiating a physiological response.
"Insulin binds to specific receptors on the cell membrane to allow glucose to enter the cell."
• Rhymes for receptor
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin receptor ('a receiver'), derived from recipere ('to receive, take back'), from re- ('back') and capere ('to take'). The biological sense of a sensory nerve ending or cellular binding site emerged at the turn of the 20th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.