homothermic
Definition
- Adjective:
- Maintaining a constant and relatively high internal body temperature: Describes animals, specifically birds and mammals, that can regulate their body temperature internally, keeping it stable and warm regardless of the external environment. This is a characteristic of endotherms.
Usage and Examples
- Adjective:
- Humans are homothermic, which allows us to live in a wide range of climates.
- Unlike reptiles, homothermic animals like sparrows remain active in cold weather.
- The homothermic nature of whales is crucial for their survival in icy oceans.
Advanced Usage
- Scientific/Technical Context: The term is primarily used in biological, zoological, and physiological contexts to describe thermoregulation.
- The study compared the metabolic rates of homothermic and poikilothermic species.
Variants and Related Words
- Homeothermic (adj): A variant spelling with the same meaning.
- Endothermic (adj): Related term describing organisms that generate heat internally to maintain body temperature; often used interchangeably with "homothermic" in general contexts, though "endothermic" can more specifically refer to the heat-generation process.
- Warm-blooded (adj): A common, non-technical synonym.
- Poikilothermic (adj): The antonym; describing organisms with a variable body temperature that changes with the environment (e.g., reptiles, fish).
Synonyms
- Warm-blooded
- Endothermic (in general usage)
- Homeothermic
Antonyms
- Poikilothermic
- Cold-blooded (non-technical)
- Ectothermic
Adjective
-
of birds and mammals; having constant and relatively high body temperature
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