A sensory nerve ending or receptor that detects and responds to heat or temperature changes in the body or environment.
Compound of Latin 'calor' (heat) and 'receptor' (something that receives). Created in modern scientific terminology to describe heat-sensing biological structures discovered in the 20th century.
Caloreceptors are why you can tell the difference between hot and cold water without looking—specialized nerve cells called thermoreceptors constantly send messages to your brain about temperature, but scientists are still discovering new types and how precisely they work.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.