estivate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity.
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Zoology. to spend a hot, dry season in an inactive, dormant state, as certain reptiles, snails, insects, and small mammals.
verb
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
Vocabulary lists containing estivate
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.
Animals that hibernate or estivate enter a state known as torpor: a condition in which their metabolic rate is significantly lowered.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
Some animals hibernate or estivate to survive hostile temperatures.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
