baroreceptor
/ˌbæroʊrɪˈsɛptər/
noun
Origin
Greek
βάρος (baros) + receptor — weight/pressure receiver
Overview
Meaning Now
- A sensory nerve ending found in the walls of the atria of the heart, the vena cava, the aortic arch, and the carotid sinus, which is sensitive to changes in blood pressure.
Literal older meaning
pressure receiver
Language path
Greek → New Latin → English
Earliest form
baroreceptor
Earliest period
20th century
Journey
The term replaced older terminology like 'pressoreceptor' as scientific nomenclature standardized the use of the Greek root 'baros' (pressure) in physiological contexts.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
βάρος
“weight, pressure, burden”
- Latin
receptor
“one who receives”
From recipere
- English, 1930s
baroreceptor
“pressure-sensitive sensory receptor”
Scientific coinage
Connections
Word parts
baro-
prefix
related to pressure or weight
-receptor
root
a sensory organ that receives stimuli
Related across languages
Greek
βάρος
weight
Latin
receptor
receiver
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Related to baroreceptor
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.