poikilothermic

American

[poi-kuh-loh-thur-mik, poi-kil-uh-] / ˌpɔɪ kə loʊˈθɜr mɪk, pɔɪˌkɪl ə- /

Also poikilothermal

adjective

Zoology.

cold-blooded (opposed to homoiothermal).

poikilothermic British

/ ˌpɔɪkɪləʊˈθɜːməl, ˌpɔɪkɪləʊˈθɜːmɪk /

adjective

(of all animals except birds and mammals) having a body temperature that varies with the temperature of the surroundings Compare homoiothermic

"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

poikilothermism noun

Etymology

Origin of poikilothermic

1880–85; < Greek poikílo ( s ) various + thermic

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.

But mention of a poikilothermic state is not "useful", says Ken Baillie, consultant in intensive care medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2015

At this point people might start to become poikilothermic, research sponsored by the FAA says.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2015

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