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Definition

noun

(physiology)
(1) Irritability; the ability to receive and respond to a stimulus.
(2) The ability of the cell or tissue to generate and sometimes propagate action potentials.

(general) The state or a measure of being excitable.

Supplement

In physiology, the muscle cells, neurons, and endocrine cells are some of the cells with this ability.

Word origin: Latin excitābilis
Related forms: excitable (adjective), excite (verb).

Synonym:

• irritability

See also: action potential