estivate

[ es-tuh-veyt ]

verb (used without object),es·ti·vat·ed, es·ti·vat·ing.
  1. to spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity.

  2. Zoology. to spend a hot, dry season in an inactive, dormant state, as certain reptiles, snails, insects, and small mammals.: Compare hibernate (def. 1).

Origin of estivate

1
First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin aestīvātus, past participle of aestīvāre “to reside during the summer” (akin to aestīvus “of or relating to summer”); see -ate1

Other words from estivate

  • es·ti·va·tor, noun

Words Nearby estivate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for estivate

estivate

/ (ˈiːstɪˌveɪt, ˈɛs-) /


verb
  1. (intr) the usual US spelling of aestivate

Derived forms of estivate

  • estivator, noun

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