hibernation

American  

[hahy-ber-ney-shuhn] / ˌhaɪ bərˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

hibernations plural

1. a state of winter dormancy in some animals, in which normal annual rhythms slow the heart, breathing, and metabolic rates to a minimum, and the animal sleeps deeply in protective quarters.

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hibernation Scientific  

/ hī′bər-nā′shən /

1. An inactive state resembling deep sleep in which certain animals living in cold climates pass the winter. In hibernation, the body temperature is lowered and breathing and heart rates slow down. Hibernation protects the animal from cold and reduces the need for food during the season when food is scarce.

2. Compare estivation

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hibernation Cultural  

1. Passing the winter in a sleeping or inactive condition. Bears, ground squirrels, woodchucks, and several other kinds of animals hibernate.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hibernations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hibernation

First recorded in 1680–90; hibernat(e) ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )

Explanation

Hibernation is a type of deep sleep some animals (like bears) go into during winter. Hibernation is like a long nap. Have you ever wanted to skip from fall to spring? Some animals do just that by hibernating, which is a sleep-like state during which their metabolism slows and they conserve energy. Animals who hibernate do nothing: hibernation is a time of rest and inactivity, almost like a coma. People also use this word for other types of inactivity. For example, you could talk about the hibernation of an athlete who has taken a year off from competition.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hibernation hibernations

Japan confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026 after a record 13 deaths last year, with reports pointing to a jump in sightings as the animals emerge hungry from hibernation.

From Barron's ● May 8, 2026

Trust me when I say that this pasta is the perfect meal to end a dreary, months-long hibernation and welcome spring with open arms.

From Salon ● May 1, 2026

Rescue centres said with winters getting "wetter and wetter" and summers getting warmer, fewer hedgehogs were having a full hibernation, leading to health issues and unfamiliar feeding patterns.

From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026

However, Kluh said she theorizes the Aedes aegypti might not have completely gone into hibernation during the winter and were ready to pounce at the first sign of warm temperatures.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

His cheeks were red, and he was wrapped in a heavy fur cloak that made him look ready for hibernation.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

But off-schedule springs can have devastating ecological impacts, from pollinators missing the flowers they usually visit to an increase in conflicts between humans and animals as hibernations are cut short.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 22, 2023

“Just like caterpillars and butterflies are different stages of development” of one organism, Shara said, the hibernations and eruptions of these binary star systems are cyclical.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 30, 2017

But it may not be the only one: many go through periods of fasting — during hibernations or migrations, for example — and must carefully ration internal energy stores in order to survive.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 24, 2013

Spring is when road workers emerge from their winter hibernations, and orange traffic cones pop up like yellow daffodils.

From New York Times ● May 24, 2010

Even hibernations can be overdone, come to think of it.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• coma
• dream
• slumber
• trance