Behavior
kinesis
ki·ne·sis [ ki-nee-sis, kahy- ]
Subclass of:
Behavior, Animal
Etymology:
Greek kinesis = movement
Both the noun and the adjective, kinetic, are much used in physiology. The retention of the Greek k (kappa) reveals the modern adoption of an old Greek word.
Both the noun and the adjective, kinetic, are much used in physiology. The retention of the Greek k (kappa) reveals the modern adoption of an old Greek word.
Definitions related to kinesis:
-
Locomotor behavior not involving a steering reaction, but in which there may be a turning random in direction. It includes orthokinesis, the rate of movement and klinokinesis, the amount of turning, which are related to the intensity of stimulation.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
-
The movement of a cell or organism in response to a stimulus in which the rate of movement depends on the intensity (rather than the direction) of the stimulus.Gene Ontology DictionaryGene Ontology Consortium, 2021
Return to OpenMD Medical Dictionary
> K
This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.