estivation

[ es-tuh-vey-shuhn ]

/ ˌɛs təˈveɪ ʃən /

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noun

Zoology. the act of estivating.

Botany. the arrangement of the parts of a flower in the bud.

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Origin of estivation

First recorded in 1615–25; estivate + -ion

Words nearby estivation

estimative, estimator, estipulate, estival, estivate, estivation, estivoautumnal, Estlander operation, estoc, estocada, Estonia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use estivation in a sentence

The dry season here is not excessive, nor is there any estivation, as in some tropical countries.
The Western World|W.H.G. Kingston
It was clear that nature was in preparation for her estivation.
Of All Things|Robert C. Benchley
First, it may be remembered that this period corresponds nearly to the active life of the animal before and after estivation.
Birds and Nature Vol. 9 No. 2 [February 1901]|Various

British Dictionary definitions for estivation

estivation

/ (ˌiːstɪˈveɪʃən, ˌɛs-) /

noun

the usual US spelling of aestivation

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

Scientific definitions for estivation

estivation

[ ĕs′tə-vā′shən ]

An inactive state resembling deep sleep, in which some animals living in hot climates, such as certain snails, pass the summer. Estivation protects these animals against heat and dryness. Compare hibernation.