thermoregulation

American  

[thur-moh-reg-yuh-ley-shuhn] / ˌθɜr moʊˌrɛg yəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

Physiology.

1. the regulation of body temperature.

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thermoregulation Scientific  

/ thûr′mō-rĕg′yə-lā′shən /

1. Maintenance of a constant internal body temperature independent of the environmental temperature. Thermoregulation in humans is effected through metabolic activity and sweating.

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Other Word Forms

• thermoregulatory
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of thermoregulation

First recorded in 1925–30; thermo- + regulation

Example Sentences

“Our power of thermoregulation meant that we . . . were able to operate at higher levels of exertion in hot conditions, and sustain a higher body temperature, than nearly all other mammals.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The authors also point out that "high humidity significantly reduces the effectiveness of evaporative cooling -- the primary mechanism honey bees use to regulate hive temperatures -- potentially making thermoregulation even more difficult."

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

Even worse, above certain thresholds for temperature and humidity, no method of thermoregulation can help animals cool down; the ambient environment simply won’t accept additional waste heat, and organisms will be poached to death.

From Scientific American • Oct. 17, 2023

Yet pregnant people have additional tools that apparently aid thermoregulation.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 27, 2023

Dispersal into temperate climates, therefore, required not only increased cold tolerance but also selective enhancement of those mechanisms used in thermoregulation at high temperatures.

From Metabolic Adaptation to Climate and Distribution of the Raccoon Procyon Lotor and Other Procyonidae by Mahlke-Johnson, Kathleen P.