Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

exteroceptor

noun ex·tero·cep·tor \ ˌek-stə-rō-ˈsep-tər \

Definition of exteroceptor

: a sense organ excited by exteroceptive stimuli

First Known Use of exteroceptor

1906

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

exteroceptor

noun ex·tero·cep·tor \ -ˈsep-tər \

medical Definition of exteroceptor

: a sense receptor (as of touch, temperature, smell, vision, or hearing) excited by exteroceptive stimuli — compare interoceptor

Learn More about exteroceptor

  1. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about exteroceptor

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up exteroceptor? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

imperturbable

play

very hard to disturb or upset

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. hogwash 'nonsense, balderdash'

  2. probity 'adherence to the highest principles and ideals'

  3. sequacious 'intellectually servile'

  4. inadmissible 'not capable of being allowed'

  5. oligarch, pejorative 'a member a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

exteroceptor

Test Your Vocabulary

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

  • alphabet-pasta-spelling-help
  • Which is the correct spelling?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games