brumation

[ broo-mey-shuhn ]

noun

1. a state of winter dormancy entered into by some cold-blooded animals as part of their normal annual rhythm. Compare hibernation ( def ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of brumation¹

Coined in 1965 by U.S. biologist Wilbur Waldo Mayhew (1920–2014) in his textbook Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology; from Latin brūma “winter solstice, winter” ( brume ( def ) ) + -tion ( def )

Example Sentences

But as the world warms and the climate in southern Queensland shifts from subtropical to tropical, this period of brumation is shrinking — meaning more run-ins between humans and the animals.

From New York Times

To survive extremely cold temperatures, some reptiles undergo brumation, which is a state of inactivity equivalent to hibernation in mammals.

From BBC

The cold-blooded animals can’t regulate their own temperature, so when temperatures drop they go into a state called brumation to survive, Howard said.

From Seattle Times

In Las Vegas, where the threatened species’ reptilian winter rest is called brumation, the earliest a Mojave Max has emerged since 2000 was a little before noon on Feb. 14, 2005.

From Seattle Times

Wildlife experts like Rauch said snakes don’t go into hibernation like warm-blooded animals do, but instead enter a state of “brumation” — basically a less-knocked out form of hibernation for the coldblooded.

From Washington Post