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effector

1 8.5

A body part like a muscle or gland that acts after a signal

noun
/ɪˈfɛktər/

Specialized

: efector

In the human body, the muscles act as effectors that contract in response to signals from the nervous system.
end effector
effector cells

Examples

Now imagine the end effector is holding the sphere on the surface.
The bicep is a powerful effector that enables us to lift heavy objects.
Mostly our final effectors of movement are muscles.
Often a robot has to manipulate another object, and therefore it has to have some sort of end effector.

Academic text (2007)
End effectors are tools that fit on the end of robotic arms to weld or paint, or to grip parts to pack or assemble them.

Academic text (2008)
The da Vinci has a special wrist built into the laparoscopic devices that allows the surgeon to move the end effector in almost any direction, and attached to the wrist at the end can be a wide variety of manipulation tools.

Academic text (2007)
When the nerve stimulates the muscle, it becomes an effector that produces movement.

Synonyms

effecter

vseffector

9.9

A person or thing that makes something happen

is a body part that responds to signals and produces action

Antonyms

receptor

Specialized

61 6.1

A part of the body like a cell that receives chemical or nerve signals and reacts

Surface Forms

effector singular

effectors plural

Morphology

effector = effect (semi-transparent) = effect + or

Formed from the verb 'effect' + agentive '-or', but the anatomical use 'effector' as a muscle or gland that responds to a signal is a domain-specific sense that may not be obvious to general learners.

Etymology

The word effector is related to effect, which comes from the Latin efficere meaning 'to make happen' and from ex- 'out' + facere 'to do'. So in the body an effector is the part, like a muscle or gland, that 'makes' the response happen.