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receptor

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receptor

  • /ɹɪˈsɛp.tə/ UK
  • [ɹɪˈsɛp.tʰəː] UK
  • /ɹəˈsep.tə/
  • [ɹəˈsep.tʰə]
  • /ɹɘˈse̝p.tɘ/ New Zealand
  • [ɹɘˈse̝p.tʰɘ] New Zealand
  • /ɹɪˈsɛp.tɚ/ Canadian, US, Standard
  • [ɹɪˈsɛp.tʰɚ] ~ [ɹɪˈsɛp.tʰɹ̩] Canadian, US, Standard
  • /ɹəˈsɛp.tɚ/ Canadian, US, Standard
  • [ɹəˈsɛp.tʰɚ] ~ [ɹəˈsɛp.tʰɹ̩] Canadian, US, Standard

Rhymes with -ɛptə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Middle English receptour, from Old French receptour or Latin receptōrius, from recipiō (“receive”), from re- (“back”) + capiō (“to hold”).

noun receptors

  1. A protein on a cell wall that binds with specific molecules so that they can be absorbed into the cell in order to control certain functions. In the target organ, the drug is recognised by ‘receptors’. These are large molecules, usually proteins, to which the drug binds tightly and with a high degree of specificity.
  2. Any specialized cell or structure that responds to sensory stimuli.
  3. obsolete One who receives something or someone; in particular, one who harbors a fugitive. […] fewe that were there did spend the same daie abowte the searchinge out of sundrye that were receptors of ffelons, where we fownd a greate manye aswell in London, Westminster, Sowthwarke, as in all other places abowte the same.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: sense organ, sensory receptor, recipient, receipt, receiving, reception, locator, receptive, actuation, host, uptake, inbound, receiver, assimilation, affection, actuator

Translations

Every language

noun a protein on a cell wall that responds to sensory stimuli

Españolreceptor
中文受體 /受体 shòutǐ
Portuguêsreceptor
Françaisrécepteur
DeutschRezeptor
Italianorecettore
Românăreceptor
العربيةمُسْتَقْبِل mustaqbil

noun any specialized cell or structure that responds to sensory stimuli

Españolreceptor
Portuguêsreceptor
Françaisrécepteur
DeutschRezeptor, Rezeptorzelle
Italianorecettore
Românăreceptor
Русскийреце́птор recéptor

noun one who receives something or someone

Españolreceptor
हिन्दीलाभार्थी lābhārthī

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Cite this
MLA

"receptor." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/receptor. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

receptor. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/receptor

Chicago

"receptor." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/receptor.

BibTeX
@misc{receptor_2026,
  title = {receptor},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/receptor},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}