Stimulus
Something that provokes a response or increases activity; in biology, a detectable change that triggers a physiological or behavioral reaction.
nounStimulus
Something that provokes a response or increases activity; in biology, a detectable change that triggers a physiological or behavioral reaction.
nounImagine This
Imagine a dim room where a flickering light acts as a stimulus that makes your pupils dilate, your heart rate rise, and you instinctively move toward a door that just opened.
Sounds Like
STIM-yuh-luhs
Looks Like
resembles 'stimulation' and shares a root with 'stimulate'
Remember This
Stimulus is singular; stimuli is the plural. In psychology, stimuli trigger responses; in economics, a policy may be described as a stimulus to boost activity.
Other Forms
Connect With
response, trigger, cue, impetus, motivation, incentive
Note
Do not confuse stimulus with stimulant (a drug that increases activity) or with stimulation (the act of stimulating). In everyday use, a stimulus is the trigger, not the act itself.