receptor
noun
re·cep·tor
ri-ˈsep-tər 
: receiver: such as
a
: a cell or group of cells that receives stimuli : sense organ
b
: a chemical group or molecule (such as a protein) on the cell surface or in the cell interior that has an affinity for a specific chemical group, molecule, or virus
Examples of receptor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Natural products inspired by organisms include GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss, spider and snake venoms, and compounds from plants and fungi with potential uses in pain relief and cancer treatment.
—
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
In the late eighties, an Israeli scientist named Zelig Eshhar successfully fused a T-cell receptor with an antibody, which could recognize cancer cells without relying on HLA.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Bloodhounds have about 300 million scent receptors in their nose, vastly more than humans and more than other dogs, Mayer said.
—ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026
It is also produced in the brain, where its receptors are concentrated in regions that govern reward, motivation, and impulse control — the very circuits that are hijacked by addiction.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, STAT, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for receptor
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Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
In the late eighties, an Israeli scientist named Zelig Eshhar successfully fused a T-cell receptor with an antibody, which could recognize cancer cells without relying on HLA.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Bloodhounds have about 300 million scent receptors in their nose, vastly more than humans and more than other dogs, Mayer said.
—ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026
It is also produced in the brain, where its receptors are concentrated in regions that govern reward, motivation, and impulse control — the very circuits that are hijacked by addiction.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, STAT, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for receptor
Cite this Entry
“Receptor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/receptor. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
receptor
noun
re·cep·tor
ri-ˈsep-tər
1
: a cell or group of cells that receives stimuli : sense organ
2
: a molecule (as protein) on the surface or in the inside of a cell that recognizes and joins to specific molecules causing a certain activity within the cell to begin
Medical Definition
receptor
noun
re·cep·tor
ri-ˈsep-tər
1
: a cell or group of cells that receives stimuli : sense organ
2
: a chemical group or molecule (as a protein) on the cell surface or in the cell interior that has an affinity for a specific chemical group, molecule, or virus
3
: a cellular entity (as a beta-receptor or alpha-receptor) that is a postulated intermediary between a chemical agent (as a neurohormone) acting on nervous tissue and the physiological or pharmacological response
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