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Glite Dictionary
exteroceptor

exteroceptor

9.9
A body part that senses things outside the body, like light, sound, or touch
  • noun
  • /ɛkˈstɛrəˌsɛptər/
  • Specialized
: exteroceptor
  • Exteroceptors allow us to sense our environment through touch, sound, and sight.

Examples

  • Animals rely on their exteroceptors to detect predators and find food.

  • The scientist studied how exteroceptors in the skin respond to changes in temperature.

  • Conversely, athletes of open-skill-dominated sports perform largely according to a moment-to-moment changeable environment or the information obtained by their exteroceptors.

    Academic text (2003)

Synonyms

receptor
vsexteroceptor
  • Specialized
67 6.1

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

is limited to sensors activated by outside environmental stimuli
sensory receptor
vsexteroceptor
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A body part that senses touch, light, or sound and sends signals to the brain

responds only to stimuli coming from outside the body

Antonyms

interoceptor
  • Specialized
9.9

A nerve cell inside the body that senses changes in organs

Surface Forms

exteroceptor singular
exteroceptors plural

Morphology

exteroceptor = receptor (semi-transparent) = extero + receptor

The element 'extero-' corresponds to 'external/outside' so the composition 'extero- + receptor' is conceptually clear, but the combining form is specialized and may not be obvious to average learners.

Etymology

Exteroceptor comes from the parts extero- ('outside') and receptor ('to receive'), similar to the words external and receive. So an exteroceptor is a body 'receiver' that senses things coming from outside, such as light, sound, or touch.