stressor

English

Etymology

From stress +‎ -or.

Noun

stressor (plural stressors)

1. (psychology, biology) An environmental condition or influence that stresses (i.e. causes stress for) an organism.
   • 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin 2012, p. 670:

     These paradoxical pleasures [...] are acquired by controlling one's exposure to the stressor in gradually increasing doses.