effector
noun
ef·fec·tor
i-ˈfek-tər
-ˌtȯr
plural effectors
1
: one that causes or brings about something
an effector of change
… sheer force of personality as an effector of discipline …—Nathaniel Burt
We must be effectors of positive change by supporting the revised science standards in full …—Emily Her
2
a
: a bodily tissue, structure, or organ (such as a gland or muscle) that becomes active in response to stimulation
Nerve cells (neurons) convey messages by electrical pulses that pass down the nerve fiber (axon) until they reach the junction with the next neuron or an effector such as a muscle.—Steven Rose
Motor neurons carry out-going signals from the brain or spinal cord to the effector organs, namely the muscles and glands.—Rita L. Atkinson et al.
b
: a molecule (such as an inducer or a corepressor) that activates, controls, or inactivates a process or action (such as protein synthesis)
What are the cell effectors that induce the physiologic turnover of sphingolipids? An obvious set of such effectors includes steroid hormones, tumor necrosis factor … and other chalones and suppressors of cell growth.—Yusuf A. Hannun and Robert M. Bell
These … G-proteins, act as intermediates or transducers between the receptor for a given stimulus and the effector protein or enzyme that effects the response to the stimulus …—Douglas Kline
c
: effector cell
… the macrophage has a dual role: that of antigen presentation, and, as an activated macrophage, that of an effector.—Emil R. Unanue
Cell-surface receptors for immunoglobulins play a vital part in immunity by transporting immunoglobulins or by triggering immune effector functions after antibodies have bound to antigens.—Alan F. Williams
3
robotics
: end effector
Traditional changeovers are done during a shift, when an operator will unbolt an effector and rebolt another one in its place.—Lauren Gibbons Paul
Cite this Entry
“Effector.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effector. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share