ectotherm

[ ek-tuh-thurm ]

noun

, Zoology.

1. a cold-blooded animal.

ectotherm

/ ĕk′tə-thûrm′ /

1. A cold-blooded organism.
2. Also called poikilotherm

Other Words From

• ecto·thermic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ectotherm¹

First recorded in 1940–45; ecto- + therm

Example Sentences

As cold-blooded ectotherms, they rely on their environment to control their body temperature, so few species can live too close to the poles—at least for now.

From Popular-Science