thermostat

American  

[thur-muh-stat] / ˈθɜr məˌstæt /

noun

• thermostats
  plural

1. a device, including a relay actuated by thermal conduction or convection, that functions to establish and maintain a desired temperature automatically or signals a change in temperature for manual adjustment.

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verb (used with object)

thermostatted, thermostated, thermostatting, thermostating

1. to equip or control with a thermostat.

thermostat British  

/ ˈθɜːməˌstæt /

noun

1. a device that maintains a system at a constant temperature. It often consists of a bimetallic strip that bends as it expands and contracts with temperature, thus breaking and making contact with an electrical power supply

2. a similar device that actuates equipment, such as a sprinkler, when a certain temperature is reached

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thermostat Scientific  

/ thûr′mə-stăt′ /

1. A device that automatically controls heating or cooling equipment in such a way as to maintain a temperature at a constant level or within a specified range, generally using a thermometer capable of triggering electrical switches that activate or deactivate the equipment.

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thermostat Cultural  

1. A device that monitors and automatically responds to changes in temperature and activates switches controlling devices such as furnaces or air conditioners.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• thermostatic
  adjective
• thermostatically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• thermostats
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of thermostat

First recorded in 1825–35; thermo- + -stat

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Explanation

If your house is always too cold in the winter, you might need to adjust the thermostat, or the dial that controls the indoor temperature. Most devices that emit heat have a thermostat, which controls how hot or cold things get. Car engines, electric blankets, furnaces, and ovens are all equipped with thermostats so that people can change the temperature, or in the case of cars, so that the car itself can keep the engine at the ideal temperature. The noun thermostat comes from the Greek word for heat, thermos, plus statos, or "a standing."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thermostat thermostats thermostated

“It’s the telematics in your vehicle, the smart thermostat in your condo, your house, your apartment. And those are just four of the millions of the sensors that are out there.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2026

A thermostat or a motion-activated switch has no consciousness, and so merely senses rather than perceives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

The thermostat had been set to 71 degrees Fahrenheit and a worker forgot to turn off the air-conditioning.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026

In the winter, Elaine rarely turns the heating on, and when she does she keeps the thermostat at a low 13C.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

“They moved us to a DRU before Thanksgiving, so we’re okay. Mom complains because they keep the thermostat at sixty-five. But no one ever froze to death at sixty-five.”

From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer

HomeView is meant to act as a family command center, controlling connected features such as lights, locks, thermostats and cameras.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Experts say millions of households have turned down radiators and thermostats, taken shorter showers, blocked draughts and found ways to keep the heating off in certain rooms to lower bills.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

Utilities in the Midwest on Saturday directed customers to lower thermostats, unplug “nonessential appliances,” and reduce temperature settings on electric water heaters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2026

When I am helping others, I like to set up automatic updates on iOS and Android devices first, then security cameras, thermostats and Wi-Fi routers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025

The boiler-room telegraphs, stoking indicators, rudder indicators, clocks and thermostats were also electrical.

From Loss of the Steamship 'Titanic' by British Government

Soon some 450 great paintings were racked on pipeline scaffolds set up in the huge, thermostated hall where Financier Stotesbury once gave concerts for 1,000 guests.

From Time Magazine Archive

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