cold-blooded animals

Cultural  

1. Animals, such as reptiles, fishes, and amphibians, that cannot control their body temperature and therefore become sluggish in cold weather. (Compare warm-blooded animals.)

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Cold-blooded animals are often seen sunning themselves to warm up.

Example Sentences

In the early 20th century, dinosaurs were considered slow-moving, "cold-blooded" animals like modern-day reptiles, relying on heat from the sun to regulate their temperature.

From Science Daily • May 15, 2024

According to the report, ectotherms, or cold-blooded animals, are approximately 90% more energy efficient than warm-blooded animals and, in the context of agriculture, “this energy differential readily translates into a potential for higher production efficiency.”

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2024

Reptiles are a group of cold-blooded animals with scaly skin, such as turtles, snakes, and lizards.

From NewsForKids.net • Feb. 6, 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

What we are accustomed to call cold-blooded animals are not truly so.

From The Meaning of Evolution by Schmucker, Samuel Christian