Definition

1. Noun:
   • A device for automatic temperature control: A thermoregulator is a device that automatically regulates temperature by starting or stopping the supply of heat to maintain a desired set point.
   • A type of thermostat: In technical contexts, it is often synonymous with a thermostat, specifically one designed to control heating systems.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The laboratory incubator is equipped with a precise thermoregulator.
  • An old-fashioned thermoregulator controlled the heat in the steam radiators.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In engineering and biology, "thermoregulator" can refer to a component in a system (like a furnace or an environmental chamber) or, by analogy, to a biological system that maintains internal temperature.
  • The reptile's physiological thermoregulator allows it to bask in the sun to raise its body temperature.

Variants and Related Words

• Thermostat (n): A more common term for a device that automatically regulates temperature.
• Thermoregulation (n): The process of maintaining a stable internal temperature, especially in living organisms.
• Temperature controller (n): A general term for any device that regulates temperature.

Synonyms

• Thermostat: A device that automatically regulates temperature.
• Temperature regulator: A general term for any device that controls temperature.

Related Phrases

• Automatic thermoregulator: Emphasizes the self-operating nature of the device.
  • The greenhouse uses an automatic thermoregulator to protect plants from frost.

Related Idioms

Noun

1. a regulator for automatically regulating temperature by starting or stopping the supply of heat