[ stim-yuh-luhs ]
/ ˈstɪm yə ləs /

noun, plural stim·u·li [stim-yuh-lahy] /ˈstɪm yəˌlaɪ/.

something that incites to action or exertion or quickens action, feeling, thought, etc.: The approval of others is a potent stimulus.
Physiology, Medicine/Medical. something that excites an organism or part to functional activity.

Origin of stimulus

1605–15; < Latin: a goad

Related forms

in·ter·stim·u·lus, noun, plural in·ter·stim·u··stim·u·lus, adjectivepre·stim·u·lus, noun, plural pre·stim·u·li.un·der·stim·u·lus, noun, plural un·der·stim·u·li. Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for stimulus

British Dictionary definitions for stimulus


/ (ˈstɪmjʊləs) /

noun plural -li (-ˌlaɪ, -ˌliː)

something that stimulates or acts as an incentive
any drug, agent, electrical impulse, or other factor able to cause a response in an organism
an object or event that is apprehended by the senses
med a former name for stimulant

Word Origin for stimulus

C17: from Latin: a cattle goad

Medicine definitions for stimulus


[ stĭmyə-ləs ]

n. pl. stim•u•li (-lī′)

A stimulant.
That which can elicit or evoke an action or response in a cell, an excitable tissue, or an organism.

Science definitions for stimulus


[ stĭmyə-ləs ]

Plural stimuli (stĭmyə-lī′)

Physiology Something that can elicit or evoke a physiological response in a cell, a tissue, or an organism. A stimulus can be internal or external. Sense organs, such as the ear, and sensory receptors, such as those in the skin, are sensitive to external stimuli such as sound and touch.
Something that has an impact or an effect on an organism so that its behavior is modified in a detectable way. See more at classical conditioning.

Culture definitions for stimulus


plur. stimuli (stim-yuh-leye)

An action, condition, or person that provokes a response, especially a conditioned response.
