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thermogenesis

American  
[thur-moh-jen-uh-sis] / ˌθɜr moʊˈdʒɛn ə sɪs /

noun

  1. the production of heat, especially in an animal body by physiological processes.

thermogenesis British  
/ ˌθɜːməʊdʒɪˈnɛtɪk, θɜːˈmɒdʒɪnəs, ˌθɜːməʊˈdʒɛnɪsɪs /

noun

  1. the production of heat by metabolic processes

"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

  • thermogenetic adjective
  • thermogenous adjective

Etymology

Origin of thermogenesis

First recorded in 1890–95; thermo- + -genesis

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.

Instead of lowering temperature, they investigated whether diet alone could switch on thermogenesis.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

"Cold exposure is also related to thermogenesis and inflammation," the authors write.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2024

Metabolic organs, such as skeletal muscle, are well known to increase core body temperature in response to significant cold exposure, either by inducing shivering or through non-shivering thermogenesis.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2024

This process is called diet-induced thermogenesis or the thermic effect of food and it equates to about 10% of our daily energy expenditure.

From Salon • Sep. 12, 2023

She explains the importance of non-exercise activity thermogenesis - also known as Neat, "which in simple terms is everything we do that uses energy and burns calories".

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2023

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.