thermotaxis

[thur-muh-tak-sis]

noun

1. Biology.,  movement of an organism toward or away from a source of heat.

2. Physiology.,  the regulation of the bodily temperature.

thermotaxis

/ ˌθɜːməʊˈtæksɪs /

noun

1. the directional movement of an organism in response to the stimulus of a source of heat

Other Word Forms

• thermotactic adjective
• thermotaxic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thermotaxis¹

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

Example Sentences

Despite the lack of central coordination of their set of parts, the larvae invariably achieve the goal of moving toward a preferred temperature—a process known as thermotaxis.

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