saccade

noun

sac·​cade sa-ˈkäd How to pronounce saccade (audio)
: a small rapid jerky movement of the eye especially as it jumps from fixation on one point to another (as in reading)
saccadic adjective

Examples of saccade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Running underneath these higher level behavior states are lower level motion behaviors like breathing, small head movements, eye blinking, and saccades (the quick eye movements that occur when people, or robots, look between two different focal points). IEEE Spectrum, 2 Nov. 2020 Instead, anything they’re shown during a 100-millisecond period right before the saccade becomes visible only after the saccade ends. Tim Vernimmen, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2019 Binda and Morrone call this time window right before the saccade the confusion period. Tim Vernimmen, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2019 So how do these brain cells know in advance that a saccade is on the way? Tim Vernimmen, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2019 Micah Mazurek The team created three games to enhance a child’s ability to control eye movements, including saccades. Sarah Deweerdt, Science | AAAS, 22 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'saccade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, twitch, jerk, from Middle French, from saquer to pull, draw

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of saccade was in 1938

Dictionary Entries Near saccade

Cite this Entry

“Saccade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saccade. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

saccade

noun
sac·​cade sa-ˈkäd How to pronounce saccade (audio)
: a small rapid jerky movement of the eye especially as it jumps from fixation on one point to another (as in reading)
saccadic adjective

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