estivate

American

[es-tuh-veyt] / ˈɛs təˌveɪt /

verb (used without object)

estivated, estivating

to spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity.
Zoology. to spend a hot, dry season in an inactive, dormant state, as certain reptiles, snails, insects, and small mammals.

estivate British

/ ˈɛs-, ˈiːstɪˌveɪt /

verb

(intr) the usual US spelling of aestivate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

estivator noun

Etymology

Origin of estivate

First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin aestīvātus, past participle of aestīvāre “to reside during the summer” (akin to aestīvus “of or relating to summer”); -ate ¹

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.

If they were dry, they would be estivating, or excreting a thick coating of mucus around their bodies.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023