Stressor

Origin

From stress + -or.

Full definition of stressor

Noun

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.