rooting reflex

rooting reflex definition - medical

root·ing reflex (ro͞oˈtĭng, ro͝otˈĭng)

noun
A reflex in infants in which rubbing or scratching about the mouth causes the infant to turn its head toward the stimulus.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.