adj · 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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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌnəʊ.sɪˈsɛp.tɪv/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˌnoʊ.səˈsɛp.tɪv/
rhymes with -ɛptɪv
1
adj
Meaning 1
Relating to the perception or sensation of pain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: medicine, physiology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective satellite
Meaning 2
caused by or in response to pain
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a nociceptive spinal reflex
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *noḱéyeti Proto-Italic *nokeō Latin noceō Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re- substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Old Latin kapiō Latin capiō Latin recipiō Latin receptus Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Medieval Latin receptivusbor. Middle English receptive English receptive English nociceptive Coined by English neurophysiologist Charles Sherrington in 1906, from Latin noceō (“to do harm, to inflict injury”) + receptive.