photoreceptor

noun

pho·​to·​re·​cep·​tor ˌfō-tō-ri-ˈsep-tər How to pronounce photoreceptor (audio)
: a receptor for light stimuli

Examples of photoreceptor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Focusing all of it onto the retina can cause photoreceptors to absorb high amounts of energy, damaging or killing them. Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2024 If it's degraded... the photoreceptors in the back of the eye could be lost forever. Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024 In addition to using ions to modulate the electrical behavior of the device, the response to light is intensity dependent, much like biological photoreceptors. IEEE Spectrum, 10 Nov. 2023 Retinitis pigmentosa is a debilitating disease that causes the death of photoreceptor cells and leads to vision loss. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for photoreceptor 

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

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of photoreceptor was in 1906

Dictionary Entries Near photoreceptor

Cite this Entry

“Photoreceptor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photoreceptor. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Medical Definition

photoreceptor

noun
pho·​to·​re·​cep·​tor -ˈsep-tər How to pronounce photoreceptor (audio)
: a receptor for light stimuli

More from Merriam-Webster on photoreceptor

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