mechanoreceptor
/ˌmɛkənoʊrɪˈsɛptər/
noun
- A sensory cell or organ that responds to mechanical pressure, touch, sound, or motion.
- Scientists study mechanoreceptors to understand how animals sense their environment.
- When you hear a sound, mechanoreceptors in your inner ear convert the vibrations into nerve signals.
- The skin contains many mechanoreceptors that allow you to feel a light touch.