Meaning & use
kinesis
The movement of an organism in response to a stimulus, without a fixed direction.
See it in a sentence
Biologists studied kinesis in woodlice, which move faster in dry conditions to find moisture.
Unlike a directed response, kinesis simply changes an animal's speed or turning rate.
A note on using this word
Kinesis differs from taxis, a related biological term describing movement directed toward or away from a stimulus.
Words with a similar meaning
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