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# sensor

«sensor» in Mova's school dictionary: **a device that notices something, such as light, heat…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a sensor, sensors)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A sensor is a device that notices something, such as light, heat, movement, sound or touch, and sends a signal about it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#m1)

2) (science) Living things have natural sensors too, like the eyes, ears and skin. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In science, computing and design lessons sensors are used with micro:bits and robots: a light sensor, a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, a sound sensor. In everyday life sensors are everywhere: automatic doors, smoke alarms, phone screens, car parking sensors, security lights and taps that turn on by themselves. In safety lessons, smoke and carbon monoxide sensors warn people of danger.

### examples

- The automatic door has a sensor that sees you coming. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#x1)
- We used the micro:bit's light sensor to measure brightness. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#x2)
- The security light switched on when the motion sensor saw a cat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#x3)
- Smoke alarms have a sensor that detects smoke. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#x4)
- The car's parking sensor beeped near the wall. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#x5)
- The robot used a touch sensor to stop at the wall. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#x6)
- Your skin is full of sensors for heat and pain. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/#x7)

### note

Plural «sensors». Spelling trap: «sensor» (a detector) and «censor» (a person who cuts or hides things from films, books or news) sound the same. A sensor detects; it does not decide — a program or brain decides what to do.

### In the corpora

- [Some restaurants use simple robots, guided by sensors, to carry food to tables.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/18-cars-doctors-translators/15/)
- [Butterflies have taste sensors on their feet and drink through a long tube called a proboscis that stays rolled up like a party blower.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/37-butterflies-beetles-flies-mosquitoes-grasshoppers/6/)
- [Menthol in mint switches on the nerve sensors that detect cold, so the mouth feels cool though it is not colder.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/70-senses-nose-tongue-and-skin/12/)
- [Tsunami warning centres use earthquake sensors and pressure gauges on the sea floor to warn coasts.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/geography/45-tsunamis/12/)
- [Some cars have a rain sensor that shines invisible light at the windscreen and switches the wipers on when raindrops change the reflection.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/technology/17-inside-a-car/16/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «sensor» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sensor/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.