nociceptor

Coined by English neurophysiologist Charles Sherrington in 1906, originally in the spelling noci-ceptor, from noceō + clipped form of receptor, signifying pain detection.

nociceptor (plural nociceptors)

1. (anatomy) A sensory receptor that sends signals that cause the perception of pain in response to a potentially damaging stimulus.

   Synonym: nocisensor

   Antonym: beneceptor

   Hypernym: ceptor

   Hyponyms: chemonociceptor, mechanonociceptor, thermonociceptor

   • 1929, The Australasian Journal of Psychology and Philosophy, page 310:

     He divides receptors into three classes— "nociceptors", such as the nerve-endings for pain and hunger, "beneceptors", such as the nerve-endings stimulated when sugar melts on the tongue, and "neutroceptors", such as the nerve-endings in the eye and ear, called " neutroceptors" because they receive more or less indiscriminately both pleasant and unpleasant messages.

   • 1973, Behaviorism, page 42:

     The “beneceptors,” “nociceptors,” and "neutroceptors” generally signalled stimuli that were, respectively, beneficial, harmful, or neutral as regards the organism or its species.

• nociceptin
• nociception
• nociceptive

nociceptor m (plural nociceptores)

1. nociceptor