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Webster 1913 Edition

Stimulus

Stim′u-lus

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Stimuli
(#)
.
[L., for
stigmulus
, akin to L.
instigare
to stimulate. See
Instigare
,
Stick
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
A goad; hence, something that rouses the mind or spirits; an incentive;
as, the hope of gain is a powerful
stimulus
to labor and action
.
2.
That which excites or produces a temporary increase of vital action, either in the whole organism or in any of its parts; especially
(Physiol.)
, any substance or agent capable of evoking the activity of a nerve or irritable muscle, or capable of producing an impression upon a sensory organ or more particularly upon its specific end organ.
☞ Of the stimuli applied to the sensory apparatus, physiologists distinguish two kinds: (a)
Homologous stimuli
, which act only upon the end organ, and for whose action the sense organs are especially adapted, as the rods and cones of the retina for the vibrations of the either. (b)
Heterologous stimuli
, which are mechanical, chemical, electrical, etc., and act upon the nervous elements of the sensory apparatus along their entire course, producing, for example, the flash of light beheld when the eye is struck.
Landois & Stirling.

Webster 1828 Edition

Stimulus

STIMULUS

,
Noun.
[L. This word may be formed on the root of stem, a shoot.] Literally, a goad; hence, something that rouses from languor; that which excites or increases action in the animal system, as a stimulus in medicine; or that which rouses the mind or spirits; as, the hope of gain is a powerful stimulus to labor and action.

Definition 2024

Stimulus

Stimulus

See also: stimulus

German

Noun

Stimulus m ‎(genitive Stimulus, plural Stimuli)

  1. stimulus

Related terms

stimulus

stimulus

See also: Stimulus

English

Noun

stimulus ‎(plural stimuli)

  1. (Can we clean up(+) this sense?) Anything that may have an impact or influence on a system.
    an economic stimulus
    • 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:
      Democrats, meanwhile, point out that Republicans seem to have made a conscious decision, beginning with the stimulus, to oppose anything the president put forward, dooming any chance of renewed cooperation between the parties.
  2. (Can we clean up(+) this sense?) (physiology) Something external that elicits or influences a physiological or psychological activity or response.
  3. (Can we clean up(+) this sense?) (psychology) Anything effectively impinging upon any of the sensory apparatuses of a living organism, including physical phenomena both internal and external to the body.
  4. (Can we clean up(+) this sense?) Anything that induces a person to take action.

Synonyms

Translations

Esperanto

Verb

stimulus

  1. conditional of stimuli

French

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin stimulus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /sti.my.lys/

Noun

stimulus m ‎(plural stimulus or stimuli)

  1. stimulus

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *steyǵ- ‎(“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). Cognate with Ancient Greek στίζω ‎(stízō, “I mark”).

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈsti.mu.lus/, [ˈstɪ.mʊ.ɫʊs]

Noun

stimulus m ‎(genitive stimulī); second declension

  1. A goad, prick
  2. A sting
  3. (figuratively) stimulus, incentive

Inflection

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative stimulus stimulī
genitive stimulī stimulōrum
dative stimulō stimulīs
accusative stimulum stimulōs
ablative stimulō stimulīs
vocative stimule stimulī

Related terms

Descendants

References

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Probably from Latin

Noun

stimulus m ‎(definite singular stimulusen, indefinite plural stimuli, definite plural stimuliene)

  1. a stimulus

Related terms

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Probably from Latin

Noun

stimulus m ‎(definite singular stimulusen, indefinite plural stimuli or stimulusar, definite plural stimuliane or stimulusane)

  1. a stimulus

References

Etymology

From Latin stimulus ‎(“goad, prick”)

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