cooldown

or cool-down

[ kool-doun ]

noun

1. a period of low-impact or slower exercise following a more intense workout to allow the body to gradually return to its normal physiological level.

verb phrase

1. to bring the body back to its normal physiological level after fast, vigorous exercise or activity by gradually slowing the pace of activity or by doing gentle exercises or stretches.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cooldown¹

First recorded in 1910–15; cool ( def ) (in the verb sense “to make or become cool” + down ¹( def ) (in the adverb sense “from a higher to a lower state”); the noun is derived from the verb phrase

Example Sentences

It shuts down and requires a cooldown period fairly quickly.

From Popular-Science

Sticky from a week spent hiking and driving, I was eager to cap off the trip with a cooldown swim into the lake, so we sped off toward the park’s Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only legal access to its shore.

From Outside Online

The rapid cooldown, from a starting temperature of about –45° Celsius, suggests the water vapor released by the rocket not only provided the H2O to make ice crystals, but also actively cooled the air to trigger cloud formation.

From Science News

Soon we came face to face with a roaring, 100-foot cascade of whitewater pummeling the smooth slabs below, mist ricocheting onto my sweaty mug as a gentle cooldown after the long uphill jaunt.

From Outside Online

In a “mindful cooldown” to end my fitness fest, Jessica was warm and encouraging.

From Fortune