hibernaculum

American  

[hahy-ber-nak-yuh-luhm] / ˌhaɪ bərˈnæk yə ləm /

Also hibernacle

noun

plural

hibernacula

1. a protective case or covering, especially for winter, as of an animal or a plant bud.

2. winter quarters, as of a hibernating animal.

---

hibernaculum British  

/ ˌhaɪbəˈnækjʊləm, ˈhaɪbəˌnækəl /

noun

1. the winter quarters of a hibernating animal

2. the protective case or covering of a plant bud or animal

---

hibernaculum Scientific  

/ hī′-bər-năk′yə-ləm /

1. A protective case, covering, or structure, such as a plant bud, in which an organism remains dormant for the winter.

2. The shelter of a hibernating animal.

---

Etymology

Origin of hibernaculum

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Latin hībernāculum “winter residence,” equivalent to hībernā(re) “to spend the winter” + -culum suffix denoting place

Example Sentences

Those offspring hibernate over winter as larvae - caterpillars - in a communal silken web called a hibernaculum.

From BBC

The nonprofit is testing out a method where a UV light is set up to attract bugs to bats near the hibernacula, the cool-sounding plural for bat refuges.

From Los Angeles Times

Eric Weaver, the monument’s branch chief of natural resources, says Junction Cave has the largest known hibernaculum in the monument for Townsend’s big-eared bats.

From Washington Times

Spellers had to ace common words such as “intolerable” and “detrimental” as well as more obscure terms such as “annus mirabilis” and “hibernaculum.”

From Reuters

Dens, or hibernacula, are almost always on south-facing slopes, where the animals can soak up sun when they emerge from their chilly months of hibernation, Beck and his students found.

From Seattle Times