operandum

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noun

A lever, key or device installed in an operant chamber, upon which the "subject" exerts its responses. Sometimes referred to as a manipulandum. In the prototypical operant conditioning experiment, a rat (the subject) presses upon a lever (the operandum) which triggers the delivery of food (the reward or reinforcer).

OriginLatin operandum →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounoperandum (plural operanda)

plural operanda

  1. A lever, key or device installed in an operant chamber, upon which the "subject" exerts its responses. Sometimes referred to as a manipulandum. In the prototypical operant conditioning experiment, a rat (the subject) presses upon a lever (the operandum) which triggers the delivery of food (the reward or reinforcer).

Origin

  1. Latinoperandum
  2. Englishoperandum

From Latin operandum. Doublet of operand.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

operandum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operandum

MLA

“operandum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operandum. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “operandum,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/operandum.

Source: operandum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.