Phrase guide

classical conditioning

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A learning process in which a previously neutral stimulus (such as a bell) is paired with a potent stimulus (such as food in the case of a dog), so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response (salivation) similar to the one elicited by the potent stimulus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

conditioning that pairs a neutral stimulus with a stimulus that evokes a reflex; the stimulus that evokes the reflex is given whether or not the conditioned response occurs until eventually the neutral stimulus comes to evoke the reflex

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: conditioning

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 经典条件反射 (jīngdiǎn tiáojiàn fǎnshè) — learning process
  • Chinese Mandarin: 巴甫洛夫条件反射 (Bāfǔluòfū tiáojiàn fǎnshè) — learning process
  • Chinese Mandarin: 古典制約 /古典制约 (gǔdiǎn zhìyuē) — learning process
  • Finnish: klassinen ehdollistuminen — learning process
  • French: conditionnement classique — learning process
  • French: conditionnement pavlovien — learning process
  • German: klassische Konditionierung — learning process
  • Russian: условный рефлекс (uslovnyj refleks) — learning process
  • Spanish: condicionamiento clásico — learning process
  • Turkish: klasik koşullanma — learning process