brumation

American  

[broo-mey-shuhn] / ˌbruˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a state of winter dormancy entered into by some cold-blooded animals as part of their normal annual rhythm.

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Etymology

Origin of brumation

Coined in 1965 by U.S. biologist Wilbur Waldo Mayhew (1920–2014) in his textbook Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology; from Latin brūma “winter solstice, winter” ( see brume ( def. )) + -tion ( def. )

Example Sentences

But as the world warms and the climate in southern Queensland shifts from subtropical to tropical, this period of brumation is shrinking — meaning more run-ins between humans and the animals.

From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2024

To survive extremely cold temperatures, some reptiles undergo brumation, which is a state of inactivity equivalent to hibernation in mammals.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2024

The cold-blooded animals can’t regulate their own temperature, so when temperatures drop they go into a state called brumation to survive, Howard said.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 23, 2024

In Las Vegas, where the threatened species’ reptilian winter rest is called brumation, the earliest a Mojave Max has emerged since 2000 was a little before noon on Feb. 14, 2005.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 25, 2023