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 Located at the back of the retina, photoreceptors convert light into signals that are sent to the brain. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2024 Human eyes rely on three types of photoreceptors to detect color: red, green and blue. Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 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 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 5 Nov. 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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