Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

ectothermic

American  
[ek-toh-thurm-ik] / ˌɛk toʊˈθɜrm ɪk /

adjective

  1. Zoology. obtaining and maintaining body heat primarily from the environment rather than internal metabolic processes; cold-blooded. Compare endothermic.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

And they’ll feed more times in a summer season if it’s warmer — mosquitoes are ectothermic, meaning their metabolism speeds up in higher temperatures.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2024

Like all insects, ants are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature, metabolism and other bodily functions depend on the environment's temperature.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 10, 2024

Like most fish, sharks are largely ectothermic, or cold-blooded.

From DOGO News ● Jul. 31, 2023

To determine what drives these ageless wonders, two groups of researchers examined turtles, tortoises and their ectothermic, or coldblooded, brethren in a pair of studies published Thursday in the journal Science.

From New York Times ● Jun. 23, 2022

The absence of insulation in ectothermic animals increases their dependence on the environment for body heat.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com