acclimate

American  

[ak-luh-meyt, uh-klahy-mit] / ˈæk ləˌmeɪt, əˈklaɪ mɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

acclimated, acclimating

1. to accustom or become accustomed to a new climate or environment; adapt.

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Other Word Forms

• acclimatable
  adjective
• acclimation
  noun
• reacclimate
  verb

Etymology

Origin of acclimate

From the French word acclimater, dating back to 1785–95; see ac-, climate

Explanation

When you acclimate yourself to a situation, you become used to it. It usually means getting accustomed to a particular new climate, but it can also mean getting used to other situations, such as a new school. The word climate in the word acclimate should give you a clue as to the word's meaning: to get used to a specific climate. Nature allows the human body to acclimate itself to various weather conditions. For example, people moving to higher altitudes will develop more red blood cells in order to absorb oxygen better. This is their bodies' way of acclimating to the thinner air. It takes a while for the body to become acclimated to a new climate.

Example Sentences

Jockey Victor Espinoza, on the D’Amato-trained Acclimate, did some very fast early fractions for a 1 ¼-mile turf race.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2019

But, it took quite a strong effort for Cleopatra’s Strike to catch Acclimate and win by a length.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2019

Acclimate qualified for the Breeders’ Cup Turf by winning the Grade 2 $250,000 Del Mar Handicap, a 1 3/8-mile race.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2019

Acclimate won the traditional closing day feature, the Grade 3 $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes, one of the few 1 3/4-mile turf races in the country.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2019

Acclimate broke on top and was never headed in a smart ride by Martin Garcia to win by half a length.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2019

Related Words

• accustom